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Project Description:
Ultimately, it will
likely be necessary to target the genetic material of cells in the body to help
facilitate their growth and regeneration in tissue engineering and regenerative
medicine applications.
We are using genetic strategies both as a
tool to help us understand cell function as well as a means to ultimately target
changes in cell function for future therapeutic applications. For example, we
have modulated the levels of antigenic alphaGal sugar groups on endothelial
cells as a potential method for minimizing cell antigenicity (immunogenicity);
if cell antigenicity can be eliminated, then it may be possible to use cells
from different species in cell transplantation and tissue engineering
applications. However, we found that simple alphaGal reduction is not
sufficient, and that the xenogenic (between different species) immune response
is far more complicated. In addition, we have used genetic strategies to show
that gelsolin, an actin severing protein, is important for in vitro neurite
extension of PC12 cells. We are currently exploring the in vivo effects of
this molecule, and designing gene therapy approaches to modulate gelsolin
synthesis in damaged nerves in the body.
The figure above is a schematic of a
strand of DNA.
Recent Publications:
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Furnish, E.J., W. Zhou, C.C. Cunningham, J.A. Käs, C.E. Schmidt (2001). Gelsolin overexpression enhances neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells. FEBS Letters.508:282-286.*Download PDF File*
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Fischbeck, J.A., J.M. Baier, R. Akella, D. Hern-Anderson, C.E. Schmidt (2001). Genetic modification of alphaGal expression in xenogeneic endothelial cells yields a complex immunological response. Tissue Engineering.7:743-756.
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