Liu &
Roshko
Artist
Custer Liu
- Undergraduate artist
- Emory University
Scientist
Venezia Roshko
-Undergraduate student
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- Emory University
​
'Running'
by Custer Liu
digital work
Artist's narrative
Venezia conducted a project in Dr. Rick Thompson’s lab in which they searched for rapid androgen mechanisms in the goldfish brain. In the future, she wants to use neuroscience research to contribute towards an understanding of how hormone replacement therapy can impact transgender individuals who undergo it. Both the artist and the researcher are STEM majors, so we are trying to produce art that bridges the representation of scientific concepts in an artistic way. We also want to make neuroscience concepts more interesting and accessible. Thus, we aimed to make the design similar to the cover of a scientific journal The goldfish is chosen as a model animal so I overlapped it with the human brain to illustrate the similarity it may share with the human brain. The shining bright star represents where the pituitary gland stimulates the production and release of testosterone. The background colors are inspired by my first impression when I saw the images of the dyed neurons taken by the microscope. I was inspired by the researcher’s ideas of how hormones can affect the human brain and their physiological traits, and the role that hormones can play when someone is undergoing HRT to help them transition between genders. The blue and orange figure reflects this.
Abstract
By Venezia Roshko
Steroid hormones are most commonly known to induce long-term changes in behavior and brain function through genomic mediation of morphological development. This experiment explores a lesser known second function, steroid induction of behavioral changes through rapid, nongenomic mechanisms. There is ample evidence supporting the existence of rapid estrogen mechanisms in the brain, however, less is known about rapid androgen mechanisms. Evidence for rapid androgen mechanisms has been shown in prostate cells, and there is evidence to support a rapid behavioral effect of androgens on vertebrates. We do not know whether there exists a membrane androgen receptor in the brain nor do we know where in the brain it would be located. Imaging a neuronal membrane androgen receptor would demonstrate a mechanism in which testosterone would directly induce rapid behavioral changes through a nongenomic mechanism. In this study, we aim to image membrane androgen receptors using fluorescent microscopy in goldfish brains. By using fluorescence microscopy, we have observed indications of Membrane Androgen Receptors evidenced by the green fluorescent ring of TBSA-FITC surrounding a blue DAPI nucleus. These indications are further evidenced by comparisons between control trials using competition testosterone and BSA-FITC instead of TBSA-FITC, where there are fewer instances of green TBSA-FITC surrounding a blue DAPI nucleus. However, we have not been able to completely displace this signal and continue to aim to do so. Further trials with consistent methodology should be conducted to be able to presume significance.