Abstract
Naked mole rats (NMRs) age remarkably(>30y); experimental colonies are scarce and valuable. Endothelial basement membrane hyaluronan repeats may underlie prolonged ageing. After learning initial immuno- histo-chemistry, sampled pan-arterially, the student will test hypotheses that altered glycocalyx, endothelial and extracellular matrix gene expression underlie slower arterial stiffening; that cultured vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) show delayed ageing measured by nuclear lamina alterations and responses to calcification stimuli. Experience is offered with our collaborating French Inserm lab. on inflammatory/coagulation gene expression, ex-vivo work can pair in Y2-3 with delicate in-vivo measures of arterial function telemetrically,
The project offers international links via this unique animal model.
References
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