Difference between revisions of "Neuroenergetics: Importance of transport for the regulation of energy substrate fluxes in brain cells"
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'''Biological or Medical aspects''': The “biology supervisor” will provide background of the main aspects related to brain energy metabolism and Michaelis-Menten kinetics. | '''Biological or Medical aspects''': The “biology supervisor” will provide background of the main aspects related to brain energy metabolism and Michaelis-Menten kinetics. | ||
| − | '''Supervisors''': [[ | + | '''Supervisors''': [[Luc Pellerin]] & [[Aitana Morton de Lachapelle]] |
'''Students''': [[Elita Idrizi]], [[Celine Pattaroni]] & [[Jennifer Tscherrig]] | '''Students''': [[Elita Idrizi]], [[Celine Pattaroni]] & [[Jennifer Tscherrig]] | ||
Revision as of 17:57, 3 April 2009
Description
Background: Brain cells were shown to rely on two energy subtrates to sustain their activity: glucose and lactate. Each of these substrates are taken up by brain cells via specific transporters and metabolized in classical biochemical pathways. The critical question remains: Between metabolism and transport, what is the limiting step for the utilization of each energy substrate under resting vs. activated condition?
Goal: The goal of the project is to determine whether transport of the main energy substrates for the brain, glucose and lactate, can become rate-limiting following an increase in cerebral activity.
Mathematical tools: The student will learn to use a mathematical software (Matlab) in order to conduct simulations from a given set of parameters and equations derived from Michaelis-Menten kinetics.
Biological or Medical aspects: The “biology supervisor” will provide background of the main aspects related to brain energy metabolism and Michaelis-Menten kinetics.
Supervisors: Luc Pellerin & Aitana Morton de Lachapelle
Students: Elita Idrizi, Celine Pattaroni & Jennifer Tscherrig
Reference: <biblio>#barros pmid=15749163</biblio>
Outline
1st meeting: Fr. 27/2/09 (Luc Pellerin & Aitana Morton de Lachapelle)
- Biological introduction + literature to read. Discussion of the goals of the project.
2nd meeting: Fr. 6/3/09 (Luc Pellerin & Aitana Morton de Lachapelle)
- Introduction to derivatives, ordinary differential equations and analytical vs numerical resolution.
- Glucose metabolism: irreversible Michaelis-Menten kinetics.
- Graphical representation of the metabolic flux as a function of neuronal glucose, in Matlab.
3rd meeting: Fr. 13/3/09 (Aitana Morton de Lachapelle)
- Glucose transport: reversible Michaelis-Menten kinetics.
- Graphical representation of the net transport- and metabolic fluxes as a function of neuronal glucose, in Matlab.
- Discussion on whether transport and/or metabolism are rate-limiting for glucose consumption by the neurons.
4th meeting: Fr. 20/3/09 (Aitana Morton de Lachapelle)
- Exercises on Matlab to solve ordinary differential equations numerically.
- Outline of the mid-term presentation.
5th meeting: Fr. 27/3/09 (Luc Pellerin & Aitana Morton de Lachapelle)
- Discussion of the paper by Barros et al. barros.
- Small visit of the Physiology Institute to have an overview of the experimental techniques used (group of Luc Pellerin)
- Preparation of the mid-term presentation.
6th meeting - Midterm presentation: Fr. 3/4/09 Media:Neuroenergetics_midterm_presentation.ppt
(Project in Course: "Solving Biological Problems that require Math")
