lI was working on a masters degree from
the University of Lethbridge while conducting the research in Dummerstorf,
Germany at the Research Institute for the Biology of Farm Animals under the
supervision of Dr. Jochen Wegner. My research involves the use of fluorescence
immunohistochemistry (IHC) to locate preadipocytes, the precursor to adipocytes, in bovine
muscle tissue. The cell surface transmembrane protein preadipocyte factor-1
(pref-1) is used as a target in the IHC reaction. Once localized, preadipocytes
are characterized by their number along with their location in reference to both
other preadipocytes and other cells. I also conduct RT-PCR and Western blot
analysis to measure the expression of pref-1 in bovine muscle tissue,
intramuscular fat, along with other fat depots. This work is important in the advancement of our knowledge of
bovine adipogenesis along with the development of techniques to predetermine the
marbling potential of cattle.