Majka Lab

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE MAJKA LABORATORY HAS MOVED FROM VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY.

The focus of our work is to understand how the reparative function of resident lung mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) is altered during the development and course of lung diseases including pulmonary hypertension, fibrosis and emphysema. In order to define a role for lung MSC in the context of lung disease and their regulation by the microenvironment we employ mouse models. Additionally we use patient derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS) as a cell based model to understand molecular changes in which occur in mesenchyme and vascular cell populations as a result of disease specific gene mutations.

 

Our laboratory has identified and characterized lung MSC and demonstrated that these cells are present in the distal lung associated with the microvasculature in both mouse and human tissue. Recent studies in our lab have shown that proper function of the lung MSC is that of an adult angioblast which plays a role in maintaining vascular integrity. Loss of proper MSC function results in loss of tissue integrity and function.

 

There is an increasing emphasis on the development of cell-based therapies to address these conditions, but the lung is a recalcitrant candidate for these strategies because of the diverse cell types and functions as well as a lack of understanding of how chronic disease processes affect stem cell differentiation.   Therefore, prior to testing cell-based therapy, it is desirable to use pre-clinical models of lung injury and chronic disease to determine how changes in the lung tissue during the development of disease affect resident stem cell differentiation and function.

Publications

Featured publications

  1. ABCG2pos lung mesenchymal stem cells are a novel pericyte subpopulation that contributes to fibrotic remodeling. Marriott S, Baskir RS, Gaskill C, Menon S, Carrier EJ, Williams J, Talati M, Helm K, Alford CE, Kropski JA, Loyd J, Wheeler L, Johnson J, Austin E, Nozik-Grayck E, Meyrick B, West JD, Klemm DJ, Majka SM (2014) Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 307(8): C684-98
    › Primary publication · 25122876 (PubMed) · PMC4200000 (PubMed Central)
  2. Distinct progenitor populations in skeletal muscle are bone marrow derived and exhibit different cell fates during vascular regeneration. Majka SM, Jackson KA, Kienstra KA, Majesky MW, Goodell MA, Hirschi KK (2003) J Clin Invest 111(1): 71-9
    › Primary publication · 12511590 (PubMed) · PMC151835 (PubMed Central)
  3. Stem cells: a minireview. Jackson KA, Majka SM, Wulf GG, Goodell MA (2002) J Cell Biochem Suppl : 1-6
    › Primary publication · 12046843 (PubMed)

Community Leaders

Contact Information

1161 21st Ave. S.
T1218 MCN
Nashville, TN 37232

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Keywords & MeSH Terms

MeSH terms are retrieved from PubMed records. Learn more.

Key: MeSH Term Keyword

Animals ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily G, Member 2 Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy Cell Differentiation Cell Lineage Humans Immunohistochemistry induced pluripotent stem cells lung Lung Mesenchymal Stem Cells mesenchymal stem cells Mice, Inbred C57BL Molecular Probes Multipotent Stem Cells Myocytes, Smooth Muscle Myofibroblasts Pericytes Phenotype pulmonary Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction Stem Cells Wound Healing