Characterization of a mouse model lacking acetylcholine receptor activity during embryonic development [Elektronische Ressource] / vorgelegt von Pier Giorgio Pacifici

INAUGURAL-DISSERTATION zur Erlangung der Doktorwürde der Naturwissenschaftlich-Mathematischen Gesamtfakultät der Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg vorgelegt von Diplom-Biologe Pier Giorgio Pacifici Tag der mündlichen Prüfung: ................ CHARACTERIZATION OF A MOUSE MODEL LACKING ACETYLCHOLINE RECEPTOR ACTIVITY DURING EMBRYONIC DEVELOPMENT Gutachter: Prof. Dr. Christoph Schuster Prof. Dr. Veit Witzemann To my family. It is a good morning exercise for a research scientist to discard a pet hypothesis every day before breakfast. It keeps him young. - Konrad Lorenz (1903 – 1989) ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The work described in this thesis would not have been completed without the support and the help provided by many. I would like to thank Prof. Dr. Veit Witzemann for his invaluable help during the course of my doctoral thesis, for his support and his availability to talk and discuss issues, as well as for his believing in me and providing an exciting atmosphere where to work. Prof. Dr. Christoph Schuster for being my first supervisor and taking an interest in my thesis. Dr. Michael Koenen for providing the original γ/ε construct and for interesting discussions, as well as Dr. Christoph Peter for the γ/ε-fc mouse line.