Exogenous effects on neuronal differentiation
This topic explores the effects of different drugs on neuroblastoma cells. The experimental setting includes the use of neuroblastoma cells to study the effects of specific drugs and their concentrations over time
Overview & Preview
Recommendend Level : Undergraduate Level
Duration : 2 hours
This course provides an overview of the concept of stem cells and their pathway to becoming neurons. The course covers the theoretical understanding of stem cells, their differentiation process, and the approaches used to produce neuronal progenitors. Students will also have the opportunity to analyze the effects of external agents on neuronal differentiation.
In this particular course we work with students at Berkeley City College to select two agents: Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a know toxin; and sea moss. In the case of sea moss the students perform a methanol extraction of this algae.
The course resources include the raw data of pluripotent stem cells undergoing neuronal differentiation. The control sample includes standard neuronal differentiation media. The experimental samples are supplemented with either PFOA or sea moss extract. The processed data contains speeded up videos of the compiled and background-substracted images.
Additional resources include worksheets of neurnal differentiation under other agents.
