The Ketone Diet and Embryological Development; Examining the cellular variations in brain and spinal cord precursor cells in a ketogenic supplemented cell culture model (360G-Wellcome-207351_Z_17_Z)

The ketone diet (KD) replaces glucose for ketone bodies as the primary brain fuel by reducing carbohydrate and increasing fat and protein intake. The diet is growing in popularity and many women of childbearing age are choosing the ketone diet for greater long-term weight loss results. Some data suggests that KD during pregnancy results in foetal anatomical abnormalities, predicting organ dysfunction post-natally. This study will evaluate the potential cellular effects of beta-hydroxybutyrate (ketogenic) supplementation on neural precursors and their subsequent lineage potentials during central nervous system (CNS) formation in a C57B6 mouse cell culture model. Vimentin and nestin are present on all neural precursors. Upon differentiation to astrocytes, these proteins are down-regulated in exchange for increased expression of brain lipid binding protein (BLBP) which is strictly expressed on mature astrocytes. The study will examine expression of these and other biomarkers in an effort to observe abnormalities and understand the mechanisms behind ketosis induced alterations in CNS cell growth. The final goal is to determine if KD during embryological development exerts an effect on cell lineage and phenotype. Results will provide information to educate women and health professionals considering KD.