110 documents found, page 1 of 11
Computational approaches for the automatic quantification of cells from brain i...
Lopes, Diogo; Campos, Ana Bela; Maciel, P.; Novais, Paulo; Fernandes, B.Microglia are glial cells residing in the central nervous system (CNS). They represent the first line of immune defence within the CNS and are responsible for fundamental physiological and pathological processes. Given their importance, the quantification of these cells is fundamental in a clinical context. However, this process is a major challenge, as conventional cell counting involves a specific set of tool...
Transition from animal-based to human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs)-ba...
Guerreiro, Sara Francisca Ramalhosa; Maciel, P.Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) arise from the disruption of highly coordinated mechanisms underlying brain development, which results in impaired sensory, motor and/or cognitive functions. Although rodent models have offered very relevant insights to the field, the translation of findings to clinics, particularly regarding therapeutic approaches for these diseases, remains challenging. Part of the explanat...
Genetic ablation of inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate receptor type 2 (IP3R2) fails ...
Garcia, Daniela Raquel Cunha; Fernandes, Daniela Monteiro; Correia, Joana Sofia; Carvalho, Andreia Alexandra NevesSpinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3) is a rare neurodegenerative disease caused by an abnormal polyglutamine expansion within the ataxin-3 protein (ATXN3). This leads to neurodegeneration of specific brain and spinal cord regions, resulting in a progressive loss of motor function. Despite neuronal death, non-neuronal cells, including astrocytes, are also involved in SCA3 pathogenesis. Astrogliosis is a common p...
Learning the biochemical basis of axonal guidance: using Caenorhabditis elegans...
Castro, Andreia Cristiana Teixeira; Sousa, João Carlos; Vieira, Cármen Maria Leal; Pereira-Sousa, Joana; Vilasboas-Campos, Daniela; Marques, FernandaAim: Experimental models are a powerful aid in visualizing molecular phenomena. This work reports how the worm <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i> (<i>C. elegans</i>) can be effectively explored for students to learn how molecular cues dramatically condition axonal guidance and define nervous system structure and behavior at the organism level. Summary of work: A loosely oriented observational activity preceded detai...
Microglial depletion has no impact on disease progression in a mouse model of m...
Campos, Ana Bela; Silva, Sara Carina Duarte; Fernandes, Bruno; Coimbra, Bárbara; Campos, Jonas; Monteiro-Fernandes, Daniela; Teixeira-Castro, AndreiaMachado–Joseph disease (MJD), also known as spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3), is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder (ND). While most research in NDs has been following a neuron-centric point of view, microglia are now recognized as crucial in the brain. Previous work revealed alterations that point to an increased activation state of microglia in the brain of CMVMJD135 mice, a MJD mouse model ...
Aripiprazole offsets mutant ATXN3-induced motor dysfunction by targeting dopami...
Jalles, Ana; Vieira, Cármen Maria Leal; Pereira-Sousa, Joana; Campos, Daniela Vilasboas; Mota, Ana Francisca; Vasconcelos, SaraThe atypical antipsychotic aripiprazole is a Food and Drug Administration-approved drug for the treatment of psychotic, mood, and other psychiatric disorders. Previous drug discovery efforts pinpointed aripiprazole as an effective suppressor of Machado–Joseph disease (MJD) pathogenesis, as its administration resulted in a reduced abundance and aggregation of mutant Ataxin-3 (ATXN3) proteins. Dopamine partial ag...
Profiling microglia in a mouse model of Machado-Joseph disease
Campos, Ana Bela; Silva, Sara Carina Duarte; Fernandes, B.; Neves, Sofia Pereira; Marques, Fernanda; Castro, Andreia Cristiana TeixeiraMicroglia have been increasingly implicated in neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), and specific disease associated microglia (DAM) profiles have been defined for several of these NDs. Yet, the microglial profile in Machado–Joseph disease (MJD) remains unexplored. Here, we characterized the profile of microglia in the CMVMJD135 mouse model of MJD. This characterization was performed using primary microglial cultur...
Preclinical assessment of mesenchymal-stem-cell-based therapies in spinocerebel...
Correia, Joana Sofia Silva; Carvalho, Andreia Alexandra Neves; Pinheiro, Bárbara Filipa Mendes; Pires, Joel Pereira; Teixeira, Fábio Gabriel RodriguesThe low regeneration potential of the central nervous system (CNS) represents a challenge for the development of new therapeutic strategies for neurodegenerative diseases, including spinocerebellar ataxias. Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3)—or Machado–Joseph disease (MJD)—is the most common dominant ataxia, being mainly characterized by motor deficits; however, SCA3/MJD has a complex and heterogeneous pathop...
Neurotherapeutic effect of Hyptis spp. leaf extracts in Caenorhabditis elegans ...
Vilasboas-Campos, Daniela; Costa, Marta Daniela Araújo; Castro, Andreia Cristiana Teixeira; Rios, Rejaine; Silva, Fabiano Guimarães; Bessa, CarlosHyptis suaveolens (HS), Hyptis pectinata (HP) and Hyptis marrubioides (HM) are plants used in folk medicine for treatment of several diseases. Here, we tested the in vivo antioxidant and neuroprotective potential of methanolic extracts from these plants, containing several rosmarinic acid derivatives and isoquercetin. In C. elegans, HS, HP and HM leaf extracts enhanced the antioxidant responses through the indu...
Proposta de plano para a igualdade de género da Universidade do Minho (IGUM 202...
Ferreira, Eugénio C.; Araújo, Emília Rodrigues; Ramos, Isabel; Gomes, Manuela E.; Maciel, P.; Jerónimo, Patrícia; Ramada, José António Seara SalgadoEste documento apresenta a proposta de Plano de Igualdade de Género para a Universidade do Minho no período 2022-2024. A primeira parte é dedicada a explicitar os resultados que decorreram da auscultação à academia, realizada em julho de 2021. A segunda parte apresenta o Plano de Igualdade.