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INSTITUTE OF PHYSIOLOGY CAS

Cutting-edge science for health

Laboratory of Mitochondrial Physiology

Laboratory of Mitochondrial Physiology

Our Laboratory focuses on the role of mitochondria in physiological and pathophysiological processes of the cell and organism. Mitochondria are the main source of cellular energy, ATP, which is essential for maintaining vital cell functions. Additionally, mitochondrial metabolism also leads to the production of oxygen radicals, reactive molecules that have a negative impact on the cell functioning, i.e. irreversible damage of cellular proteins, lipids and DNA (both mitochondrial and nuclear). Such prolonged oxidative stress in extreme cases leads to cell death. Chronic, albeit relatively moderate oxidative stress accompanies number of pathophysiological disorders including neurodegenerative diseases (such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease), but for example also type 2 diabetes and pulmonary hypertension, the etiology of which we study in our laboratory. In case of irreversible damage mitochondria must be removed by specific pathway of autophagy, called mitophagy. This process is crucial for mitochondrial quality control process, disruption of which is accompanied by a number of diseases such as type 2 diabetes, which is where we study the mitophagy. Moreover, mitochondria are semiautonomous organelles for they have mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Genetic manipulation of the mtDNA is rather complicated and yet there has not been found satisfactory method which would allow us for e.g. gene silencing or in-situ quantification of genetic mutations in mtDNA. The development of such techniques is one of out goals. Since mitochondria are rather small organelles and resolution of commonly available light and fluorescence microscopy is not sufficient to study certain aspects of their morphology, we employ special super-resolution fluorescence microscopy. The prototype of such microscope we have recently purchased for our department. We develop further methodologies of “nanoscopy” to study mitochondrial morphology and function. Finally, we study the role of mitochondrial signaling in cancer cells and cancer-specific enzymatic pathways, study of which could be essential for the development of future anticancer drugs.

Concerning applied research, we also develop novel drug carriers to transport specific anticancer drugs called photosensitizers into cancer tissues. Our findings have been patented in Industrial Property Office of the Czech Republic.

 

 

Projects

Publications

Smolková; Katarína - Bai; P. Editorial: Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition: Yet Another Exciting Avenue in Cancer Metabolic Remodeling . Frontiers in Oncology. 2021; 10(Jan 28)); 628664 . IF = 4.848 [ASEP] [ doi ]
Shapoval; Oleksandr - Oleksa; Viktoriia - Šlouf; Miroslav - Lobaz; Volodymyr - Trhlíková; Olga - Filipová; Marcela - Janoušková; Olga - Engstová; Hana - Pankrác; J. - Modrý; A. - Herynek; V. - Ježek; Petr - Šefc; L. - Horák; Daniel . Colloidally stable P(DMA-AGME)-Ale-coated Gd(Tb)F3:Tb3+(Gd3+);Yb3+;Nd3+ nanoparticles as a multimodal contrast agent for down- and upconversion luminescence; magnetic resonance imaging; and computed tomography . Nanomaterials. 2021; 11(1)); 230 . IF = 4.324 [ASEP] [ doi ]
Ježek; Petr - Holendová; Blanka - Jabůrek; Martin - Tauber; Jan - Dlasková; Andrea - Plecitá-Hlavatá; Lydie . The Pancreatic beta-Cell: The Perfect Redox System . ANTIOXIDANTS. 2021; 10(2)); 197 . IF = 5.014 [ASEP] [ doi ]
Smolková; Katarína - Špačková; Jitka - Gotvaldová; Klára - Dvořák; Aleš - Křenková; Alena - Hubálek; Martin - Holendová; Blanka - Vítek; L. - Ježek; Petr . SIRT3 and GCN5L regulation of NADP plus - and NADPH-driven reactions of mitochondrial isocitrate dehydrogenase IDH2 . Scientific Reports. 2020; 10(1)); 8677 . IF = 3.998 [ASEP] [ doi ]
Smolková; Katarína - Mikó; E. - Kovács; T. - Leguina-Ruzzi; Alberto A. - Sipos; A. - Bai; P. Nuclear Factor Erythroid 2-Related Factor 2 in Regulating Cancer Metabolism . Antioxidants & Redox Signaling. 2020; 33(13); 966-997 . IF = 7.04 [ASEP] [ doi ]

People

  RNDr. Petr Ježek, DrSc.
Head of the Laboratory
  Ing. Andrea Dlasková, Ph.D.
Deputy Head of the Laboratory
  Mgr. Hana Engstová, Ph.D.
Senior Researcher
 

Mgr. Blanka Holendová, Ph.D.

Senior Researcher

  Mgr. Martin Jabůrek, Ph.D.
Senior Researcher
  RNDr. Jan Ježek, Ph.D.
Senior Researcher
  RNDr. Lýdie Plecitá, Ph.D.
Senior Researcher
  RNDr. Katarína Smolková, Ph.D.
Senior Researcher
  Ing. Tomáš Špaček, Ph.D.
Senior Researcher
  Mgr. Jitka Špačková (Šantorová), Ph.D.
Senior Researcher
  Ing. Jan Tauber, Ph.D.
Senior Researcher
 

Alberto Leguina Ruzzi, Ph.D.

Senior Researcher

 

Mgr. Vojtěch Pavluch

PhD Student

 

Ing. Pavla Průchová

PhD Student

 

Ing. Klára Gotvaldová

PhD Student

 

Mgr. Štěpánka Benáková 

PhD Student

 

Bazila Bazila, MSc.

PhD Student

 

Alexandra Urbančoková

Pregraduate Student

 

Bc. Monika Křivonosková

Pregraduate Student

  Jitka Smiková
Technician
  Ludmila Šimečková
Technician
  Jana Vaicová
Technician