Date Approved

2012

Degree Type

Open Access Senior Honors Thesis

Department or School

Chemistry

First Advisor

Deborah Heyl-Clegg

Second Advisor

Heather Holmes

Abstract

Damage to insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas in individuals with Type II Diabetes Mellitus is a traditional effect of the disease, which is often aggravated by age. A potential explanation for beta cell damage is disruption of the cellular lipid membrane from amylin accumulation. This presentation details an examination of possible age-related effects to membrane lipids, specifically differing levels of head group loss, through treatment of membrane models with amylin and dye leakage assays.

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