Research Interests

Our research interests concern the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying hypoxic and toxic injury to liver and heart cells and organs stored for transplantation surgery. The Laboratory is applying new techniques of laser scanning confocal microscopy to characterize the physiology of single living cells, including the assessment of ion homeostasis, mitochondrial function, electrical potentials, volume regulation, membrane permeability and other biochemical parameters during the pathogenesis of lethal cell injury.

The lab also studies reperfusion injury to livers stored for transplantation surgery.

A final project addresses the regulation of mitochondrial free calcium in cardiac myocytes. Recently, we showed by laser scanning confocal microscopy that large transients of mitochondrial free calcium occur during the excitation-contraction cycle. These transients may regulate mitochondrial metabolism to match ATP production to ATP demand during changes in cardiac work.

Accomplishments

• Our studies show that the mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT) induces either necrotic cell death or apoptosis in models of reperfusion injury, oxidative stress, excitotoxicity, calcium ionophore-induced toxicity, Reye-related drug toxicity, exposure to tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFa) and Fas ligation.

• We introduced the term ''necrapoptosis'' to emphasize the shared pathways leading to apoptic and necrotic cell death. These findings offer new strategies to rescue cells and tissues from irreversible toxic and ischemic injury.

More Info about the Cell and Molecular Pathogenesis & Imaging Core Team:

UNC Researchers Image Alcohol-Induced Cellular Injury - Center Line, Vol. 10, No. 3

Dr. Lemasters' Webpage at Cell & Developmental Biology Department

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