Doctoral Degrees (Biochemistry)

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Browsing Doctoral Degrees (Biochemistry) by Subject "Angora goat -- South Africa"

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    Computational modelling of steroid hormone biosynthesis and metabolism
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2020-04) Louw, Carla; Snoep, Jacob Leendert; Van Niekerk, David Douglas; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Science. Dept. of Biochemistry.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study describes the use of computational modelling and statistical techniques to address three topics in the field of steroid hormone research. The first is the hypocortisolism seen in the South African Angora goat. In a comparative analysis the construction, parameterisation and validation of a model describing the D4 and D5 pathways in both the ovine and Angora goat species are completed. With these models the issue of identifying a possible treatment target is addressed. The second topic is the steroidogenic activity in the human liver. This includes the construction, parameterisation and validation of a model describing the relative conversion of classic androgens and 11-oxygenated androgens to their respective 5a or 5b reduction products in the human liver. The model indicates that under physiological steady state conditions the 5b reduction of both the classic androgens and the 11-oxygenated androgens are the preferred reaction. The third and final topic discussed in this study is the steroidogenic activity in prostate cancer C42B cells. The construction, parameterisation and validation of a model describing the steroid hormone biosynthesis in the C42B castration resistant prostate cancer cell line is included. Three possible treatment targets for castration resistant prostate cancer in C42B cells are identified. This study also describes the development of an add-on Mathematica package, IdentifiabilityAnalysis, which simplifies the process of model parameterisation and identifiability analysis. This package is used throughout this study.