Date of Award
2020
Publisher
North Dakota State University
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Awarded
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Biological Sciences
College
Science and Mathematics
Faculty Advisor
Heidinger, Britt
Description
Aging is an underlying risk factor for many major diseases including cancer, cardiovascular disease, and neurodegeneration. Yet we still do not know the full extent of how our bodies age and what determines our lifespan. One mechanism that may play an important role are telomeres, which are protective caps at the end of chromosomes. Telomeres are directly linked to longevity and can be lengthened by the enzyme telomerase. Early life telomere length is critical for lifespan, but we do not know how telomerase performs during this period. Whether variation in telomerase levels can influence telomere length and loss during development with consequences to longevity is still unknown. This thesis focuses on the role of telomerase during post-natal development and its response to stressors and activators with effects on telomeres. Taken together this research enhances our understanding of how telomerase acts and influences telomere during post-natal development.
Recommended Citation
Vangorder-Braid, Jennifer Teresa, "Aging and Early Life Stress: Telomerase Dynamics and The Consequences for Telomeres in a Wild Bird" (2020). Biological Sciences. 47.
https://digitalcommons.ndsu.edu/biological-sci/47
Rights
NDSU policy 190.6.2
Rights Link
https://www.ndsu.edu/fileadmin/policy/190.pdf
Author ORCID Identifier
0000-0003-2394-5640
Handle Identifier
https://hdl.handle.net/10365/32247