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Recent climate change has affected the forest system comprehensively. Northern hemisphere elevational treelines are considered as a key environment for monitoring the effects of current anthropogenic climate change. Moreover, trees from these areas are also widely employed in paleo-climate reconstructions. The stability of the tree growth climate relationship under current scenario is crucial for all tree ring based climate researches. It is important to investigate how trees respond to this rapid environmental change at altitudinal treelines. Tree cores from 21 treeline sites of three species (Pinus tabulaeformis, Picea crassifolia, and Sabina przewalskii) from Northeastern Tibetan have been conducted in this thesis. The instable correlations between tree growth and climate are the general response pattern of trees from all study sites in NE Tibetan Plateau. Picea crassifolia shows the most instable response to climate factors (mean monthly temperature and total monthly precipitation). Pinus tabulaeformis and Sabina przewalskii just showed instable and divergent responses to their main limiting climate factors but no clear trend was found which is limited by the few sample sites. Corresponding to divergent responses of Picea crassifolia to mean monthly temperature, most radial growth of Picea crassifolia were inhibited by this climate change type drought, only few trees within same sites grew faster due to temperature increasing during recent decades. The divergence response mainly started in last 30 years in six of eleven sample sites over the Northeastern Tibetan Plateau. North-westerly drier sites showed a large percentage of trees per site with a negative correlation to temperature and mostly southerly moister sites showed more mixed responses with both negatively and positively responding trees within site. Concurrent with the regional pattern, low elevation sites show mostly negative correlations with temperature and high elevation sites show more mixed responses. As the hydrothermal conditions of the investigation area changed to a drier and warmer combination, drought stress on tree growth have been intensifying over time and expanding spatially from the middle to most of our study area during the last half century. The Picea crassifolia tree growth climate relationship conducted on an elevational gradient with four different levels from upper treeline to lower treeline at the NE Tibetan Plateau. Results show that upper treeline trees show divergent growth trends and divergent responses in recent decades. Trees from lower treeline show a strengthening drought stress signal over time and no divergent growth trends within sites. This potential ecological reaction of tree populations to changing environmental conditions shows an implications for using trees to reconstruct climate, since the indiscriminate use of tree ring data from sites showing opposite responses to increasing warming could cause mis-calibration of tree ring based climate reconstructions, and over- or underestimation of carbon sequestration potential in biogeochemical models. The physiological response of Sabina przewalskii tree growth to major limiting climate factors based on the Vaganov-Shashkin (VS) model indicated that precipitation during the early growing season, especially in May and June, has significant effect on tree growth, while temperature mainly affects tree growth by warming-induced drought and by extending the growing season in the NE Tibetan Plateau. Under current and projected climate scenarios, modeling results predict an increase in radial growth of Sabina przewalskii around the Qaidam Basin, with the potential outcome that regional forests will increase their capacity to sequester carbon. However, most Picea crassifolia trees growing at lower elevations than Sabina przewalskii might be continue stressed by the warming induced drought and might decrease radial growth in future.
The six extraocular muscles (EOMs) are arranged around the eyeball as agonist-antagonist pairs performing the eye movements. The EOMs comprise a distinct muscle group that is fundamentally different from other skeletal muscle, which is reflected on many levels, such as functionality, anatomy as well as in their molecular make-up. Physiologically EOMs are considered superfast, high endurance muscles that are continuously active. In addition, EOMs contain unusual slow-tonic fibers that share features with amphibian and avian slow-tonic fibers. EOMs also express slow/cardiac isoforms of proteins and genes along with the typical isoforms of fast muscle fibers. Another striking hallmark of EOM is their differential involvement in a number of diseases. For instance, EOMs are preferentially spared in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). DMD is the most common fatal, genetic disease in males clinically characterized by progressive muscle wasting. Mutations in the dystrophin gene result in a destabilization of the muscle membrane causing muscle fiber damage. While all other skeletal muscles deteriorate the EOMs remain morphologically and functionally healthy. In the pathogenesis of DMD elevated Ca2+ levels are believed to be an early event and it has been shown that EOMs are protected from pharmacologically induced Ca2+ damage. The goal of this study was to characterize the spared EOMs, in particular their Ca2+ homeostasis, in the context of DMD pathology to reveal new potential therapeutic targets for the disease. A combination of physiological, molecular and biochemical methods was used to investigate the Ca2+ homeostasis of EOMs to demonstrate clear differences compared with the fast limb muscle tibialis anterior (TA). Ca2+ handling of stimulated cultured EOM myotubes suggested more efficient Ca2+ removal from the cytoplasm after induced Ca2+ influx compared with cultured myoblasts from TA. Subsequent mRNA and protein expression analyses of myoblasts and adult muscle tissue revealed high expression levels of many key Ca2+ regulating and buffering proteins in rodent EOMs compared with TA. Among these Ca2+ proteins were slow/cardiac proteins, which normally are not found in fast muscles. For instance, the sarcoplasmic Ca2+ ATPase SERCA2 was elevated along with its regulator phospholamban (PLN). Further, PLN was preferentially endogenously phosphorylated at Thr17 suggesting continuous activation of SERCA2 and possibly the fast isoform SERCA1, the main Ca2+ pumps responsible for removing Ca2+ from the cytoplasm after muscle contraction. Furthermore, Ca2+ buffers, such as calsequestrin (CASQ2) and parvalbumin (PARV) were elevated. These results suggest that EOMs are endowed with a unique and superior Ca2+ homeostasis that facilitates efficient Ca2+ buffering and removal from the cytoplasm. This is in agreement with their continuous and fast activation cycles, as well as with a potential protective mechanism in prevention of Ca2+ overload in DMD. The extreme activity patterns of EOM suggested that a high activity of store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) plays a critical part to replenish Ca2+ for rapid and continuous cycles of contractions. To extend the data on general Ca2+ homeostasis and because of possible implications of store-operated Ca2+ influx and other Ca2+ influx pathways in DMD, the expression patterns of group 1 transient receptor potential (TRP) channels and the proteins Orai1 and STIM1 were studied. The TRP channels, TRPC1, TRPC6 and TRPV4 channel proteins in addition to STIM1 showed higher expression in EOM compared with TA. High TRPC1, TRPV4 and STIM1 levels could play a significant role in the high fatigue resistance, muscle differentiation and SOCE in EOM. In addition, tissue from the mdx mouse model of DMD was investigated. The only channels differentially expressed in mdx EOM compared with normal EOM were TRPM4 and TRPM7 (decreased in mdx EOM) and TRPV4 (increased in mdx EOM). Although, these changes in mdx EOM were of small magnitude, they could point toward subtle compensatory changes related to the disease process. In general, EOMs seem to be unaffected by the disease and inherently protected. In conclusion, the results in this thesis have improved the understanding of the Ca2+ homeostasis in EOMs and suggest that EOM may be better able to prevent prolonged elevation of cytoplasmic Ca2+ levels. These data may help to design new therapeutic approaches targeting Ca2+ handling proteins to ameliorate muscular dystrophy.
Computational chemical physics can give important input to astrophysical modelling and other fields of physics, where molecular properties are of importance. Understanding of spectroscopic and reactive behaviour is crucial for many systems of astrophysical interests like stars, interstellar medium and comets. Especially stellar atmospheres are of interest, because the complex physics of stars are not yet completely understood. Stars are in an unstable balance of gravitation and radiation pressure and the atmospheric dynamics have been subject of extensive modelling. Complete and accurate spectroscopic information of the atoms and molecules in these atmospheres is necessary for this attempt. In addition, the only information we have about astrophysical systems is light which is emitted or absorbed by particles in these media. This is not only true for astrophysics. In plasma physics sometimes the usage of invasive diagnostics, like Langmuir probes, is not wanted because they disturb the system. In these cases some information of the system can be regained by passively measuring infrared spectra of the plasma or by active induction of electronic transition like the laser-induced fluorescence method. Another remote sensing application is the measurement of the atmospheric composition on earth. Here, larger particles in the atmosphere as well as greenhouse gases are of current interest. Unfortunately, the experimental spectroscopic data, which is needed for the understanding and interpretation of the measured spectra, is often incomplete. This gap can be, to some extend, filled by computational chemical physics. The aim of this work was to investigate the capabilities and limitations of ab initio based potential energy surfaces for spectroscopic and reactive studies and to apply these methods to problems of rovibrational and rovibronic spectroscopy and reaction dynamics. The choice of ab initio methods and the potential fitting methods is critical for the computational chemical physics, as all further quantities directly depend on their quality. In this work modified versions of the Braams polynomial potential energy surface were used. A high level coupled cluster ab initio method was used to build potentials for a series of small hydrocarbons. Hydrocarbons can be found almost everywhere on earth and in the universe. They exist in laboratory plasmas, stellar and planetary atmospheres and interstellar gases. In all these cases, light emitted or absorbed by the molecules is an important diagnostics of the system. The potential constructed in this work partly included a cluster expansion, which adds reactant configuration spaces to the fits. This could not be done for CH_3 and higher hydrocarbons, because of the limitations of the Coupled Cluster ab initio method, which is well suited for the potential wells, but not for the dissociation regions. The examples of methyl and methane show how the potentials can be used for rovibrational spectroscopy. Results of radiation transport simulations illustrate the importance of as complete-as-possible line lists for radiation transport calculations.\\ The rovibronic spectroscopy of diatomic molecules is another important aspect for the stellar atmospheric modelling. Metal hydrides and oxides add opacity to the atmosphere in the visible light and ultraviolet frequency regions, as well as do the hydrocarbons in the infrared one. In addition the spectra of metal hydrides/oxides can be used to gather information about metal and their isotope abundances. They are used as markers for the conditions in the atmospheres of stars. In this work a new code was developed, that efficiently calculates bound-bound transitions between electronic states and bound-continuum cross sections for diatomic molecules. It also offers an adequate treatment of quasi-bound rovibrational states. One important representative of the diatoms is magnesium hydride, MgH. Before this work, line lists and photodissociation cross section were available involving the three lowest doublet states of MgH. In this work new potential energy curves were calculated and adapted to updated experimental data. This causes changes in the relative energies between the electronic states and therefore shifts in the line lists. These are important, because accurate line positions are needed for the identification of spectral lines. In addition two further electronic states were included in the calculations. This expands the spectral range of MgH into the near ultraviolet region. Radiation transport models showed significant absorption by MgH from the newly added electronic states. A second usage of the diatomic potential energy curves are photodissociation cross sections. As interstellar environments are chemically active, such data is necessary for a complete picture of the ongoing processes. The photodissociation cross sections of MgH reveal a stronger dependence of the underlying potential than the bound-bound lines. In the case of MgH the cross sections are rather weak, besides occasional resonance lines which can be several orders of magnitude stronger. As mentioned, not only spectroscopic, but also reactive behaviour of molecules is important in astrophysics. A current problem connected with this is the abundance of CH^+ in interstellar clouds. Its measured abundances do not fit the predictions from theoretical models. In addition Gerlich and co-workers recently measured low temperature H + CH^+ -> C^+ + H_2 reaction rates, which diverge from the theoretical picture and which could not be explained. In this work a reactive potential energy surface was built for the CH_2^+ system, which was then used to perform extensive calculations with quasi-classical trajectory and quantum scattering methods. It was found out, that the potentials used in previous works are not accurate enough to allow low temperature calculations. Results from these potentials must be taken with care. Furthermore, the results from the new potential energy surface indicate significantly reduced reaction rates compared to previous numerical studies. This is in agreement with the new results of Gerlich and co-workers. Nevertheless, the large error bars in the low temperature range for experimental as well as numerical results strongly suggest refined methods to be developed for both, before a final conclusion can be made. This work demonstrated the possibility of modern computational chemical physics to supply consistent data for spectroscopy and reaction dynamics. These are necessary and important inputs for fields like astrophysics, plasma physics and chemistry.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) and stroke share a number of mechanisms of neuronal damage. In both cases the balance between neurodestruction and neuroprotection appears modulated by the function of the adaptive immune system. MS is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS), leading to permanent disability. It seems certain that an autoimmune response directed against the CNS is central to the pathogenesis of the disease. While these CNS-specific T cells are activated in MS patients, they are inactive and naive in healthy. Therefore it is believed that an activation of autoreactive T cells by cross-reactivity with pathogens occurs outside of the CNS. In consequence T cells express adhesion molecules and proteinases which enable them to cross the blood-brain barrier. In stroke, however, the blood-brain barrier is disturbed in its integrity caused by the decreased blood flow. Cells can freely migrate from the periphery into the brain. CNS autoreactive cells from the periphery can be activated within the CNS and thus contribute to further tissue damage. While the local autoimmune response remains temporary in stroked brains, it is chronically destroyed in MS. The differences between the underlying mechanisms are not understood. This thesis investigated T cell responses in Multiple Sclerosis in response to the therapeutics Mitoxantrone and IFN-b. The induction of a TH1 to TH2 cytokine response appears to be a shared mechanism of action between both therapeutic agents. Primarily the post stroke immune response was investigated. Patients developed a stroke induced immune suppression characterized by monocytic dysfunction and lymphocytopenia explaining the high frequency of post stroke infections. Moreover early post stroke predictors of subsequent infections, like the CD4+ T cell count, were identified. The T cell response of stroke patients appeared primed to proinflammation and unsuppressed after mitogen stimulation. A detailed understanding of post stroke immune alterations may offer new avenues of intervention to improve the clinical fate of stroke victims. In addition, such knowledge could also further our understanding of Multiple Sclerosis, because, while increasing the infection risk, the dampening of the immune system could have an important protective function, if it limits autoimmune brain damage triggered by the massive release of brain antigens during stroke. If these two pathways could be modulated separately it would create the opportunity to develop distinct therapeutic approaches that inhibit autoimmunity and strengthen antibacterial defenses. To further delineate these mechanisms it is crucial to investigate the role of the innate immune system as compared to the adaptive immune system in stroke induced immune suppression.
In the search for bioactive compounds, 32 fungal strains were isolated from Indonesian marine habitats. Ethyl acetate extracts of their culture broth were tested for cytotoxic activity against a urinary bladder carcinoma cell line and for antifungal and antibacterial activities against fish and human pathogenic bacteria as well as against plant and human pathogenic fungi. Bioassay-guided fractionation led to the isolation of bioactive compounds. Altogether 14 compounds were isolated and further elucidated. The compounds were obtained from the ethyl acetate and dichloromethane extracts of six fungal strains. They included 9 polyketides, 2 terpenes, 1 alkaloid and 2 till now undefined structures.
Background: Computational tools for the investigation of transcriptional regulation, in particular of transcription factor binding sites (TFBS), in evolutionary context are developed. Existing sequence based tools prediction such binding sites do not consider their actual functionality, although it is known that besides the base sequence many other aspects are relevant for binding and for the effects of that binding. In particular in Eukaryotes a perfectly matching sequence motif is neither necessary nor sufficient for a functional transcription factor binding site. Published work in the field of transcriptional regulation frequently focus on the prediction of putative transcription factor binding sites based on sequence similarity to known binding sites. Furthermore, among the related software, only a small number implements visualization of the evolution of transcription factor binding sites or the integration of other regulation related data. The interface of many tools is made for computer scientists, although the actual interpretation of their outcome needs profound biological background knowledge. Results and Discussion: The tool presented in this thesis, "ReXSpecies" is a web application. Therefore, it is ready to use for the end user without installation providing a graphical user interface. Besides extensive automation of analyses of transcriptional regulation (the only necessary input are the genomic coordinates of a regulatory region), new techniques to visualize the evolution of transcription factor binding sites were developed. Furthermore, an interface to genome browsers was implemented to enable scientists to comprehensively analyze their regulatory regions with respect to other regulation relevant data. ReXSpecies contains a novel algorithm that searches for evolutionary conserved patterns of transcription factor binding sites, which could imply functionality. Such patterns were verified using some known transcription factor binding sites of genes involved in pluripotency. In the appendix, efficiency and correctness of the used algorithm are discussed. Furthermore, a novel algorithm to color phylogenetic trees intuitively is presented. In the thesis, new possibilities to render evolutionary conserved sets of transcription factor binding sites are developed. The thesis also discusses the evolutionary conservation of regulation and its context dependency. An important source of errors in the analysis of regulatory regions using comparative genetics is probably to find and to align homologous regulatory regions. Some alternatives to using sequence similarity alone are discussed. Outlook: Other possibilities to find (functional) homologous regulatory regions (besides whole-genome-alignments currently used) are BLAST searches, local alignments, homology databases and alignment-free approaches. Using one ore more of these alternatives could reduce the number of artifacts by reduction of the number of regions that are erroneously declared homologous. To achieve more robust predictions of transcription, the author suggests to use other regulation related data besides sequence data only. Therefore, the use and extension of existing tools, in particular of systems biology, is proposed.
In this thesis, two novel assay systems had been developed, which allow a fast and easy screening for amine transaminase activity as well as the characterization of the amino donor and acceptor specificity of a given amine transaminase. The assays overcome some limitations of previously described assays but of course have some limitations themselves. The relatively low wavelength of 245 nm, at which the production of acetophenone is detected with the spectrophotometric assay, limits the amount of protein/crude extract that can be applied, which eventually results in a decreased sensitivity at higher enzyme loads due to an increased initial absorbance. Otherwise, this assay can be used very easily for the investigation of the amino acceptor specificity and both pH and temperature dependencies of amine transaminases. The conductometric assay is – by its very nature – limited to low-conducting buffers, a neutral pH and constant temperatures. In summary, the assays complement one another very well and the complete characterization of the most important enzyme properties can be accomplished quickly. Furthermore, we developed and applied a novel in silico search strategy for the identification of (R)-selective amine transaminases in sequence databases. Structural information of probably related proteins was used for rational protein design to predict key amino acid substitutions that indicate the desired activity. We subsequently searched protein databases for proteins already carrying these mutations instead of constructing the corresponding mutants in the laboratory. This methodology exploits the fact that naturally evolved proteins have undergone selection over millions of years, which has resulted in highly optimized catalysts. Using this in silico approach, we have discovered 17 (R)-selective amine transaminases. In theory, this strategy can be applied to other enzyme classes and fold types as well and for this reason constitutes a new concept for the identification of desired enzymes. Finally, we applied the seven most promising candidates of the identified proteins to asymmetric synthesis of various optical pure amines with (R)-configuration starting from the corresponding ketones. We used a lactate dehydrogenase/glucose dehydrogenase system for the necessary shift of the thermodynamic equilibrium. For all ketones at least one enzyme was found that allowed complete conversion to the corresponding chiral amine with excellent optical purities >99% ee. Bearing in mind that until last year there was only one (R)-selective amine transaminase commercially available and two microorganisms with the corresponding activity described, the identification of numerous enzymes is a breakthrough in asymmetric synthesis of chiral amines.
Main drivers for biodiversity loss in terrestrial ecosystems are changes in land use, climate change, enhanced nitrogen deposition and biotic exchange (invasive species). These drivers also affect dry, nutrient-poor open anthropo-zoogenic inland and coastal heathlands which often harbor a high biodiversity. To counteract biodiversity loss in coastal ecosystems, a basic step is the assessment of the various threats. Therefore it is important to select suitable model organisms for analyses of biodiversity dynamics. In this thesis the three arthropod groups Orthoptera (Ensifera and Caelifera), carabid beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) and spiders (Araneae) were studied, as they are very useful indicators. Besides sampling of the three arthropod groups vegetation and microclimate parameters were recorded. The studies were done between 2008 and 2010 in the coastal heathland on the Baltic island of Hiddensee, Germany. The main aim of the thesis was to analyze the impact of three drivers of heathland biodiversity loss (succession, grass encroachment, moss invasion) on the selected indicator arthropod groups. Based on this multi-level and -species approach, implications for the conservation of coastal heathlands are given. The results show that successional processes and grass encroachment have strong impact on species richness and abundance, species composition and functional groups, as well as life-history traits and functional diversity of the arthropod groups. Main findings were: Orthoptera species richness was highest in the intermediate stages (heath encroached by grasses and heath with shrubs) because of higher habitat heterogeneity and higher food supply (grasses). Opposed to that, species richness of ground-dwelling carabid beetles and spiders did not differ among the five successional stages, which contradicts the ‘habitat heterogeneity hypothesis’. In contrast to species richness, functional diversity differed among successional stages. The concept of functional diversity – which integrates species life-history trait data – therefore might be particularly suitable for biodiversity research, while the explanatory power of species richness alone might not be sufficient. The species compositions of all three taxa changed remarkably along the coastal heathland gradient indicating a high species turnover. In particular, open, dynamic habitats (‘grey dunes’ and ‘dwarf-shrub heath’) could be separated. Here, several specialized, xerothermic and threatened species occurred due to the extreme habitat conditions, but are displaced during grass and shrub encroachment. On a smaller spatial scale, the invasion of Campylopus introflexus alters habitat conditions in grey dunes and therefore affects carabid beetle and spider species and the dominant Orthoptera species Myrmeleotettix maculatus. Species richness of carabid beetles and spiders, and the abundance of adult M. maculatus grasshoppers were reduced. Species compositions of carabids and spiders changed remarkably with a loss of several species. These negative impacts could be explained by the vegetation structure of the moss which is unsuitable for web-building spiders or large carabid beetles, and by reduced germination of higher plants and therefore reduced food supply for M. maculatus and phytophagous carabid species. Within the open coastal heathland, the mosaic of grey dunes and adjacent dwarf-shrubs is important since many species perform a habitat change during their development and, besides the scarcely vegetated, thermally benefited grey dunes, need denser vegetation of adjacent dwarf-shrubs for shelter, as song posts, or for foraging. As grey dunes harbor a high abundance and species richness of threatened and specialized, mainly xerothermic and geobiont species and are important as oviposition and nymphal habitat, they are regarded as a keystone habitat within the coastal heathland. Besides these ecological studies, two studies focused on the method of pitfall trapping. It could have been shown, that pitfall trapping might be a useful sampling method for Orthoptera in open habitats. The other study demonstrated that sampling interval has a strong influence on the capture efficiency of several arthropod groups (‘digging-in effect’). Conservation practices should aim at maintaining a heterogeneous heathland mosaic with open grey dunes and Calluna stands, in addition to scattered grassy and shrub-encroached heath for the survival of species-rich heathland arthropod assemblages with a high proportion of specialized and threatened species.
In this thesis wave propagation in the whistler wave frequency range ωci≤ω≤ωce in the linear magnetized plasma experiment VINETA is investigated. The plasma is generated by a helicon antenna and has a diameter of about 10 cm. Whistler waves are launched by a loop antenna with a diameter of 4.5 cm and the fluctuating magnetic field is mapped by Ḃ-probes. Experiments are carried out for plasma parameters γ≤1/ √ 2 under which the only transversal polarized wave according to plane wave dispersion theory is the whistler wave. Due to the small collision frequencies ν≪1 cyclotron damping of whistler waves in this parameter regime is dominant and depends only on the electron plasma-β. The influence of the inhomogeneous plasma profile and excitation by a loop antenna is investigated by measurements of the fluctuating magnetic field perpendicular to the ambient magnetic field in azimuthal and radial axial planes. A mode characterized by the number of wave lengths m in the azimuthal direction is found. The mode structure is modified by the specific shape of the plasma density profile. Profiles with a homogeneous density inside the plasma radius are found to posses a comparably simple mode structure. An agreement in the mode structure of full-wave simulations in three dimensions, including a Gaussian density profile and excitation of the wave by a loop antenna, with the experimental results is found. Conclusions on the spatial structure of the excited mode are drawn using the simulations which predict excitation of an m=2 mode. The wave is found to be ducted within the plasma radius over a wide parameter range. A Helmholtz decomposition of the simulations electric field exhibits the fluctuating space charge as the dominant source for the electric field, while the contribution due to induction is negligible. The magnetic field is given partially by the electron and displacement current. Both contributions to the magnetic field are of the same order of magnitude. The frequency dependency of the excited modes spatial damping increment is investigated using measurements of the magnetic fluctuations along the symmetry axis of the plasma. In order to illustrate the parameter dependency, the electron plasma-β is varied over two orders in magnitude in the range β = 4·10-4 - 2.4·10-2. The experimental result for the spatial damping increment of the mode yields a strong damping for wave frequencies ω/ωce > 0.5 at maximum plasma-β, which shifts to higher frequencies with decreasing β. The parameter dependency of the damping for a fixed frequency is studied in an axial ambient magnetic field gradient. In both cases an excellent agreement between the experimental result and predictions for cyclotron damping from plane wave dispersion theory is found.
Background/Aims: To develop a clinically relevant immunocompetent murine model to study pancreatic cancer using two different syngeneic pancreatic cancer cell lines and to assess MRI for its applicability in this model. Methods: Two cell lines, 6606PDA and Panc02, were employed for the experiments. Cell proliferation and migration were monitored in vitro. Matrigel™ was tested for its role in tumor induction. Tumor cell growth was assessed after orthotopic injection of tumor cells into the pancreatic head of C57/BL6 mice by MRI and histology. Results: Proliferation and migration of Panc02 were significantly faster than those of 6606PDA. Matrigel did not affect tumor growth/migration but prevented tumor cell spread after injection thus avoiding undesired peritoneal tumor growth. MRI could reliably monitor longitudinal tumor growth in both cell lines: Panc02 had a more irregular finger-like growth, and 6606PDA grew more spherically. Both tumors showed local invasiveness. Histologically, Panc02 showed a sarcoma-like undifferentiated growth pattern, whereas 6606PDA displayed a moderately differentiated glandular tumor growth. Panc02 mice had a significantly shorter (28 days) survival than 6606PDA mice (50 days). Conclusion: This model closely mimics human pancreatic cancer. MRI was invaluable for longitudinal monitoring of tumor growth thus reducing the number of mice required. Employing two different cell lines, this model can be used for various treatment and imaging studies.