Using pS6-immunoreactivity as a marker of neuronal activity in the context of salamander reproductive behavior.

Voiceover

Presenter(s)

Jenna Mulreany

Abstract or Description

Pheromones are chemical signals that trigger a social response between individuals of the same species. To better understand how pheromonal and other reproductive cues are processed by the brain, I used immunohistochemistry (IHC) for phosphorylated ribosomal protein S6 (pS6), which is a potential indicator of neural activity. I designed an experiment to test the hypothesis that cues associated with mating will increase amounts of pS6 in the brain in terrestrial salamanders. I predicted that male-female pairs that successfully mated will have higher amounts of pS6 in the brain compared to pairs that did not mate, and unpaired salamanders. I also included a positive control of salamanders that were handled to induce a stress response. Tissues were fixed and sectioned using a cryostat. I am currently completing IHC and gathering data. If successful, the method of pS6 could be used to examine neural activation in response to many sensory cues to better understand neural processing by the amphibian brain.

Mentor

Sarah Woodley