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Faculty
 Nada
Zecevic, M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Neuroscience
860-679-1768
nzecevic@neuron.uchc.edu
Areas of Interest:
Development of the human CNS applying molecular biological
techniques and immunocytochemistry on light and electron microscopic
level. My laboratory is focused on these questions: How does the complex
structure of cerebral cortex develop from simple neuroepithelial cells?
What are progenitor cells for cortical neurons and oligodendrocytes? How
chemical specificity develops in the cerebral cortex? Is the interaction
of microglia and oligodendrocyte progenitors during development
important for myelinogenesis? How is this reflected on autoimmune
diseases, such as multiple sclerosis?
Lab Rotation Projects:
Students who wish to formulate their own novel questions about brain
development are welcome. In addition the following projects are
available:
#1 – The role of radial glia (RG) as progenitor cells in
development of the cerebral cortex in human. Although the role of RG in
animal models has been studied, their role in human brain development is
not well understood and might be more complex than believed before. This
project will involve working with fetal human brain tissue, making
transcripts that can label RG and follow RG differentiation after 5 days
in culture. Student would have to learn molecular biology, and tissue
culture techniques (cell and slice preparation), immunohistochemistry
and the use of fluorescent and confocal microscope.
#2 – Studying the effect of alcohol on human slice culture.
Methods that will be learned: human fetal brain anatomy, dissociated and
organotypic slice cultures, BrdU assay, quantification of cell number,
immunocytochemistry.
Publications
Selected Papers:
Mo Z, Moore A, Filipovic R, Ogawa Y, Kazuhiro I, Antic S and Zecevic
N. (2007) Human cortical neurons originate from radial glia and
neuron-restricted progenitors. J. Neurosc. 27(15):4132-4145.
Howard B, Chen Y, Zecevic N (2006) Cortical Progenitor cells in the
developing human telencephalon. GLIA. 53:57-66.
Filipovic R, Zecevic N (2005) Interaction between microglia and
oligodendrocyte cell progenitors involves Golli proteins. The Annals of
the New York Academy of Sciences, issue “Biophysics from Molecules to
Brain” vol.1048:166-174.
Filipovic R, Zecevic N (2005) Lipopolysaccharide affects golli
expression and promotes proliferation of oligodendrocyte progenitors.
GLIA, 49:457-466.
Jakovcevski, I and Zecevic, N (2005) Olig transcription factors are
expressed in oligdendrocyte and neuronal cells in human fetal CNS.
J.Neurosci. 25(44):10064-10073.
Jakovcevski I, Zecevic N (2005) Sequence of oligodendrocyte
development in the human fetal telencephalon. GLIA, 49: 480-491.
Zecevic N, Chen Y, Filipovic R. (2005) Contributions of Cortical
Subventricular Zone to the Development of the Human Cerebral Cortex,
J.Comp.Neurol. 491:109-122.
Zecevic, N (2004) Specific characteristics of radial glia in the
human fetal telencephalon. GLIA48:27-35.
Rakic, S. and Zecevic N (2003) Early oligodendrocyte progenitor cells
in the human fetal telencephalon. GLIA 41:117-127.
Rakic, S. and Zecevic N (2003) Emerging complexity of cortical layer
I in humans. Cer.Cortex, 13:1072-1083.
Filipovic,R., Jakovcevski, I and N.Zecevic (2003) Expression pattern
of GRO-α and CXCR2 in the human fetal brain and MS lesions.
J.Developmental Neuroscience, 25:279-290.
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