Thesis supervisor: Ernő Zádor
Location of studies (in Hungarian): Institute of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Szeged Abbreviation of location of studies: SZTE
Description of the research topic:
Skeletal muscle is very amenable for studying differentiation, adaptation and regeneration. Our research group has developed several experimental models in the past twenty years. We have investigated the effect of regeneration, denervation and passive movement on gene expressions, have shown the changes in expression levels of sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium pumps in diabetic muscle and demonstrated the muscle and fibre specific growth stimulating effect of 20-hydroxyecdysone, a phytoecdysteroid and insect moulting hormone. Recently the main track of interest is the transgenic skeletal muscle. We particularly study a phenomenon in which the transfection of certain genes into a few myonuclei of less than 1% of muscle fibres will increase growth of the entire regenerating muscle, apparently by activating autocrine-paracrine processes. The transfected genes so far have interfered with the calcium metabolism, the calcineurin-NFAT-IL4 pathway and the Ras pathway, our aim is to identify further players in this novel process (described first by our group).
Required language skills: English Number of students who can be accepted: 1