User:Emily Suter

[[Media:MODULE_3_write_up.doc]]

Last Name
Suter

First Name
Emily

Course/Minor
20/2

Year of Graduation
2011

Telephone #
916.524.8915

Email
emsuter AT mit DOT edu

Potentially Relevant Background


Please briefly describe any previous laboratory experience
I did high resolution microscopy this summer at The Jackson Laboratory with their Institute of Molecular Biophysics. I prepared samples and extracted DNA as well as helped design a computer program to analyze our images, but did not do much PCR or electrophoresis.

Module 3 Notes and Report Summary

 * 1) Original Proposal:  "We want to test the effect of chondrocyte cell concentration on the proliferation of chondrocytes in dense alginate beads.  Using 3% alginate, we plan on comparing high and low cell concentrations to hopefully extrapolate information about nutrient transport and cellular competition/cellular viability in dense scaffolds."
 * 2) ELISA protein test:  The ELISA will allow us to compare the concentrations of Collagen Type I and Type II.  This will help us determine the number of differentiated cells vs. the number of dedifferentiated cells.   From the ratio of Type I to II, we can also maybe determine the relative number of cells in each sample and thereby compare how well the high and low concentrations grew compared to each other.
 * 3) When the cells are in a dense situation, they are more "tense" and there is greater competition.  It created a stress on the cells, possibly causing them to differentiate or creating lower cell viability.
 * 4) The 1.5 M/mL sample had a much greater CII/CI ratio, meaning that a greater proportion of the lower concentration sample stayed differentiated as chondrocytes as compared to the higher concentration sample.
 * 5) When testing for cell viability, our images were full of background so we are forced to interpret comparative viability from other assays.

Note: Articles that we want to reference? We had originally started our idea based on the differences between viability of cells on the outside of alginate beads and cells on the inside of the beads due to poor nutrient transportation. By creating denser beads, we are decreasing the diffusivity of nutrients...how does this affect our results interpretation?