NTU Undergraduates' research April 2014 - Biosciences | Page 11

Characterization of glial cell function
Christoforos Ioannides

Abstract
Glial cells play a vital role in the protection of neuronal cells against oxidative stress. They
achieve this through the expression of several proteins that have antioxidant capabilities
such as glutathione, DJ-1 and GDNF, the production of which is regulated by the strength of
the oxidative stress induced upon cells. Proteasome inhibition has been shown to increase
the antioxidant response of glial cells,