Glembotski Lab >> Research >> Regenerative Medicine
Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cells:
Proteins secreted by the heart are called cardiokines. After secretion, cardiokines, such as cytokines, growth promoters and stem cell homing factors, can reduce ischemic damage, as well as enhancing stem cell survival and engraftment. But ischemia impairs protein folding and secretion, and negatively impacts stem cell-mediated regeneration. However, we discovered a secretion process that resists this inhibition, enabling the release of certain beneficial cardiokines, just when they are needed the most. Studies in the Glembotski lab focus on examining the functions of, and molecular mechanisms governing this secretion process in cardiac myocytes and in cardiac stem cells. Our studies of cardiokine secretion in the ischemic heart, and secretion by cardiac stem cells will facilitate the design of therapeutic strategies aimed at enhancing the secretion of beneficial cardiokines that minimize damage and maximize regeneration.
