MAPPING MITOCHONDRIAL NUMBER AND MORPHOLOGY IN THE BRAINS OF DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER MODELS OF PARKINSON’S DISEASE

Author

• Regina Murphy

Date of Award

2018

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

Submission Date

October 2026

Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]

Macleod, Gregory

Abstract

Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects millions of people around the world, although it is more common in individuals aged 60 years or older. PD is associated with the degeneration of dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra. While the underlying cause of neuronal degeneration is poorly understood, mitochondrial dysfunction is a common feature of the cell pathology. Geneticallyencoded fluorescent probes were used to label the mitochondria in wildtype Drosophila melanogaster and those genetically manipulated to model PD. Brains were dissected, immunolabeled, and their mitochondria were imaged using structured illumination microscopy (SIM). Mitochondrial number was determined, as well as the sphericity and surface area quantified. This characterization of mitochondrial number and morphology in wildtype Drosophila created a baseline for comparison to Drosophila that over-express the wildtype human α-synuclein protein which is associated with PD.

Comments

Includes bibliography.

Recommended Citation

Murphy, Regina, "MAPPING MITOCHONDRIAL NUMBER AND MORPHOLOGY IN THE BRAINS OF DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER MODELS OF PARKINSON’S DISEASE" (2018). Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses 2010 - 2019. 360.
https://digitalcommons.fau.edu/etd_honors_2/360

Extent

51 p.

Identifier

FAUHT00032