Event

Heart cells generated from stem cells

Heart cells generated from stem cells

Zsuzsanna Polgar, research fellow in Laszlo Virag's laboratory used stem cells (induced pluripotent cells) to generate heart muscle cells (cardiomyocytes). Succesfully induction of cardiomyocyte differentiation is proved by the fact that cultures beat just like a heart.
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New gene regulatory mechanism in monocytes

New gene regulatory mechanism in monocytes

In collaboration with Agnieszka Robaszkiewicz’s group (Lodz, Poland), Laszlo Virag and Zsolt Regdon published a paper in BBA Gene Regulatory Mechanisms about gene expression regulation in monocytes. In this study they have investigated how the tumor suppressor protein Rbl2 regulates gene expression. They identified a nuclear protein PARP1 as a mediator of Rbl2’s gene regulatory effects. The genes regulated by these two proteins could be assigned to 8 groups based on their responsiveness to Rbl2 and PARP1. The work also identified chromatin modifier enzymes mediating the gene regulatory functions of these two proteins.