Neuropeptidomics Across Metazoan Life

Every neuron in our brain is bathed in a sea of diverse signaling molecules, including peptides. It is well known that neuropeptides, acting as neurotransmitters, neuromodulators and peptide hormones, play pivotal roles in a variety of physiological processes, such as learning and memory, sleeping, pain, and anxiety. To understand how neuropeptides work in the human brain can be extremely challenge; fortunately, most neurochemical pathways are well conserved across metazoa, and thus working with simpler model organisms can provide valuable insights into the fundamental principles in the human brain. Several animal models have been commonly used in neuroscience studies, with each having specific advantages for particular research areas. For example, the sea hare (Aplysia californica) is an excellent model to understand the formation, function and plasticity of neuronal networks, while the honey bee (Apis mellifera) is important for uncovering the mechanisms and evolution of social behavior. As studies in these model organisms are undertaken, knowledge of the complement of neuropeptides used by and released from specific neuronal systems will increase our understanding of how complex suites of neuropeptides modulate neuronal network function to generate such complex behaviors. In this dissertation, several projects are presented with the goal of unraveling the functions of neuropeptides in cell-to-cell communication.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Chemistry

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2014

Author dc:creator

• Xie, Fang

Contributors dc:contributor

• Sweedler, Jonathan V.

• Chemistry, Analytical
• Biology, Bioinformatics

Identifier

(UMI)AAI3395546

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/72260