Growth signalling pathways acting on the intestinal stem cell

Piglets Roseworthy campus

This project aims to access activity of positive and negative signalling pathways that act on intestinal stem cells.

The small intestine grows a by combination of crypt fission and crypt hyperplasia. Crypt fission is now realised to be due to an increase in intestinal stem cells but has been poorly studied.

This study will compare and contrast activities of the canonical and non-canonical Wnt pathway, the Notch pathway, the epidermal growth factor pathway and the bone morphogenetic protein pathway in 3-, 7- and 14-day old pigs.

Key methodology:

  • Immunostaining of activation markers with assessment by cumulative signal analysis, and quantitative RT-PCR of transcription factors.
  • Crypt fission will be assessed by a tissue microdissection technique and recording the percentage of bifid crypts.

Supervisors

Tagged in Honours projects - Animal science, Honours in Animal Science subtheme - Production animal health, Honours projects - Gordon Howarth, Honours projects - Will Van Wettere, Honours projects - Molecular and biomedical science, Honours projects - Food and Nutrition Science, Honours projects - Molecular and biomedical science: Other, Honours projects - Adrian Cummins