Scholar Profiles
Brittany
L. Bell
2006 - 2007 University Scholar
Mentor: Michael J. Fields
College of Agricultural and
Life Sciences
"I applied to the USP in hopes of participating in a program that champions the student who desires the most out of their undergraduate experience."
Brittany L. Bell is a senior majoring in animal biology. She is interested in equine behavior and preventative medicine, along with reproductive physiology as it applies to animal husbandry. She is preparing to enter the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program and hopes to influence a change in the horse industry and how it deals with behavioral, medical and reproductive issues. Brittany has been inducted into the Eta Nu chapter of Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society and is a Verizon Foundation and Bright Futures Medallion Scholar. She also works as an animal emergency surgery technician at UF Veterinary Medicine Teaching Hospital. In her spare time, Brittany enjoys studying Taoism and reading Taoist philosophy books.
Research Description:
The Search for the Bovine Relaxin-like Factor Receptor
Early embryonic loss is fast becoming a large concern in the cattle industry, as it leads to reproductive inefficiency and loss of capital. Asynchrony between uterine and embryonic maturation has been posed as a primary cause. In an effort to better understand the pathways to embryonic implantation, scientists are searching for the link between the hormones present during the peri-implantation period and the location of the hormone receptors. Uncovering these receptors would aid in the sequencing of events pertinent to embryo implantation and maternal recognition of the conceptus, identify the normal environment required by the conceptus, and label abnormal characteristics carrying a high risk for loss. Information of this nature would enable industry leaders to minimize their risk of embryonic loss through selection for better genetic predisposition.
Relaxin has been identified as a necessary hormone for the reconstruction of the female reproductive tract during gestation. Cows injected with porcine relaxin have shown a classical response, but a bovine strain has not been identified. Bovine relaxin-like factor (LGR-8), however, is being evaluated due to its unusually high luteal expression in the ruminant when compared with other species. Although previous experiments proved groundbreaking in being the first to localize the LGR-8 protein within the bovine corpus luteum, the location of receptors for this protein remains to be determined. The study at hand would utilize PCR techniques to search for the LGR-8 receptor in the tissues of the cow. Findings may be indicative of the role relaxin and relaxin-like factor play in the implantation process. Pinpointing the factors involved in and sequencing the events preceding the implantation process of pregnancy would enable scientists to correlate the high rates of early embryonic loss with certain abnormalities, thus providing an effective method for reducing the occurrence of this economic issue within the cattle industry.
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