Honors Theses

Date of Award

Spring 5-1-2021

Document Type

Undergraduate Thesis

Department

Biomolecular Sciences

First Advisor

Kristine Willett

Second Advisor

Jason Paris

Third Advisor

Joshua Bloomekatz

Relational Format

Dissertation/Thesis

Abstract

As the laws concerning the regulation of Cannabis Sativa change across the globe, maternal use of cannabinoid-containing products during pregnancy is a greater concern than ever before. Little research has been conducted on the consequences of maternal use and developmental exposure to ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD. In this study, larval zebrafish (Danio rerio) were used to measure CBD and THC-mediated adverse outcomes including effects on larval length, eye area, and behavior in the cnr+/+ and cnr2-/- zebrafish strains where we discovered that cannabinoid exposure results in a decrease in each of these endpoints. Adult zebrafish were used to further examine the effects that receptor knockout has on behavior which also resulted in decreased behavior. This study found that developmental exposure to THC and CBD did result in toxicities, however, toxicities were lessened in zebrafish that lacked cannabinoid receptor 2 suggesting that this receptor has an important role in modulating the effects of cannabinoid exposure and is possibly involved in protective pathways.

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Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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