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Mette Harboe: Regulation of bone development – studies in mice and zebrafish expand our knowledge of molecular mechanisms

PhD defence, Friday 24 January 2020. Mette Harboe.

Mette Harboe

During her PhD study, cand. scient. Mette Harboe researched regulation of bone development. In addition to providing protection and support for the body, bones also act as storage of both hormones and micronutrients, which can be secreted when needed. To support these different functions, correct bone formation during development is essential.

The proteins pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) and PAPP-A2 are proteases that regulate the level of the growth factor insulin-like growth factor (IGF), which is known to play an essential role in bone development. To investigate if these proteases are necessary for normal bone formation to occur, Mette inactivated the Papp-a or the Papp-a2 gene in mice and studied their bones during development. Additionally, by using transgenic zebrafish as a model organism, it was investigated if PAPP-A and PAPP-A2 regulate the differentiation of cartilage cells (chondrocytes) - a process which is a prerequisite for bone development.  

This research contributes to our understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in cartilage and bone development. Additionally, it increases our knowledge of the complex regulation of IGF signaling.  

The PhD degree was completed at the Department of Molecular biology and Genetics, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Aarhus University.

This résumé was prepared by the PhD student.

Time: Friday 24 January 2020 at TBA
Place: TBA
Title of PhD thesis: In vivo studies of PAPP-A and PAPP-A2 in bone development
Contact information: Mette Harboe, e-mail: mharboe@mbg.au.dk, tel.: +45 20645727
Members of the assessment committee:
Professor Tom Goldammer, Institute of Genome Biology, Leibniz Institute for Farm Animal Biology, Germany 
Professor Kåre Lehmann Nielsen, Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Denmark
Associate Professor Knud Erik Larsen, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Denmark (chair)
Professor Tom Goldammer, Institute of Genome Biology, Leibniz Institute for Farm Animal Biology, Germany
Main supervisor:
Professor Claus Oxvig, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University
Language: The PhD dissertation will be defended in English

The defence is public.
The PhD thesis is available for reading at the Graduate School of Science and Technology/GSST, Ny Munkegade 120, building 1521, 8000 Aarhus C.