Date of Graduation

5-2015

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering

Degree Level

Undergraduate

Department

Biomedical Engineering

Advisor/Mentor

Wolchok, Jeffrey C.

Committee Member/Reader

Muldoon, Timothy J.

Committee Member/Second Reader

Kim, Myunghee M.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to explore the interaction between mouse C2C12 cells and the extracellular matrix, particularly the process of myoblasts converting to myocytes. This study aimed to create a myogenesis assay that presents a process to effectively monitor the development of mouse C2C12 myoblasts into differentiated skeletal myotubes through detection of the protein MyoD. Myogenesis, the development of muscle tissue, occurs when muscle progenitor cells, myoblasts, fuse to form multinucleated myotubes, followed by cell fusion and resulting in a myofiber capable of contraction. An in vitro myogenesis assay would enable further research to efficiently test the effect of various growth factors and other parameters on skeletal muscle development, a field with numerous clinical applications. To test this, cells were seeded on both control substrates and wells coated with extracellular matrix. Cells were harvested at 3 and 7 days and tested for presence of MyoD. Analysis of PCR results showed negligible amounts of MyoD present in all experimental wells.

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