Analysis of mitochondria morphology dynamics during adipogenesis

UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Benjamin Elliot Novak (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
Advisor
Dennis LaJeunesse

Abstract: "There is great concern with an increase in the number of Americans who are overweight and obese. Fat cells or adipocytes play a central role in obesity. These cells are metabolically active and play a fundamental role in energy allocation and storage. The adipocyte functions as the energy storage cell by storing excess energy in the forms of triglycerides in lipid vesicles within the cell. The morphology of mitochondria is a dynamic process that varies from cell type to cell type and in response to a variety of signals and conditions (Wilson-Fritch, 2002; Wilson-Fritch, 2004). The morphology of mitochondria in the cell often reflects the functions of that type of cell. In my thesis I characterize the changes in mitochondrial morphology and actin during adipogenesis. In this thesis I found that mitochondria undergo a radical change in morphology during the first two days of adipogenesis. In the pre-adipocyte cell mitochondria assume a reticular morphology that is distributed uniformly throughout the cell. After stimulation of differentiation this reticular morphology fragments. The fragmented mitochondrial morphology persists throughout adipocyte differentiation and is the form of the mitochondria present in the mature adipocyte. These results suggest that the reorganization of mitochondrial morphology is established early during adipogenesis and may play a role in the functions of fully differentiated adipocytes."--Abstract

Additional Information

Publication
Thesis
Language: English
Date: 2007
Keywords
Americans, overweight, obese, fat cells, adipocytes, metabolically active, role, energy allocation, storage
Subjects
Fat cells--Growth--Molecular aspects
Mitochondrial pathology

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