LABORATORY OF CELL CULTURES AND REGENERATIVE MEDICINE

About the lab

Regenerative medicine is an interdisciplinary field that applies engineering and life science knowledge to promote regeneration of injured tissues. The field of regenerative medicine embraces various strategies, including the use of materials and de novo generated cells to take the place of missing tissue and to contribute for tissue healing. Dental stem cells are great candidate for applications in regenerative medicine because they are relatively easy to access, have a very good ability to proliferate and can differentiate into several tissue types.

In our laboratory, we investigate the biological properties and differentiation potential of human dental stem cells obtained from deciduous and adult teeth. These cells have become as part of our “Biobank for Adult Stem Cell.” We have successfully established methods for isolation, in vitro cultivation, phenotypic characterization, analysis of biological, biochemical and molecular properties of dental stem cells. We use modern methods to analyze complex microRNA and protein profiles that are specific to dental stem cell differentiation processes. We generate new cell lines from dental stem cells cultured in 3D conditions using polymers for future research and commercial purposes. Our priority is the implementation of results obtained from basic medical research into clinical practice. We are the first workplace in Slovakia that specializes on the dental stem cells research and their long-term storage.

Also, we analyze the newly synthetized antitumor agents and study the effect of physical effectors (radiation, plasma) on various types of human cells, as primary cultures as commercially available cell lines (healthy and tumor).

We offer the possibility for practical training: the isolation of DNA, RNA, and microRNA from various types of biological material, protein analysis, using Western blot or protein chips analyses, and immunocytochemical staining. We consult in the field of design experiments for omics analysis of microRNAs and proteins as well as for genotyping DNA/RNA variants by PCR using various detection methods.

Staff

  • Head:
    Mgr. Henrieta Škovierová, PhD.
    henrieta.skovierova@uniba.sk
    +421 43 2633 904
  • Researchers:
    Ing. Zuzana Hatoková, PhD.
    Ing. Slavomíra Nováková, PhD.
    Ing. Miroslava Šarlinová, PhD.
  • PhD. students:
    Mgr. Bibiána Baďurová
    Mgr. Veronika Kucháriková
  • Lab assistant:
    Bc. Tereza Pavlišová

Video tour

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Laboratory infrastructure

We can specify de novo generated cell lines and characterize them at the biological and cytological level by using our modern and high-quality equipment. The following devices are: BSL-2 flow boxes, CO2 incubators, light microscope, deep freezing box and cell counter, which are part of general equipment of our cell culture laboratory. For molecular analyzes, we use PCR and qPCR thermocyclers, agarose/SDS-PAGE apparatus and Western blot transfers, Elisa plate reader, high content imagine system WiscanÒ Hermes and microdissection device – mmiCellCut Plus.

Virtual tour

Watch a virtual tour of Laboratory of Cell Cultures and Regenerative Medicine.

Projects

  1. ITMS 304011P09; “Enhancement of research and development capacity of the Slovak-Czech border region in the field of plasma technologies for medical use.” (In cooperation with University of Žilina and VUT Brno).

  2. APVV-15-0217; “Molecular mechanisms of the statins effect on the inhibition, proliferation and differentiation of selected stem and tumour cells and their application in regenerative medicine.” (In collaboration with FM CU).

  3. APVV-17-0345; “Research of the optimization procedures for improvement of transfer, safety and reliability of WET systems.” (In cooperation with FEIT UŽ).

  4. VEGA 1/0178/17; “Characterization and proteomic analysis of tooth derived stem cells and their differentiated cells.”

  5. VEGA 1/0310/21; “Development of novel 3D models from human adult dental stem cells to study the processes of osteodifferentiation, comparison of their biological properties with 2D models and research of their molecular and biochemical processes during the treatment of bone tissue defects.”

  6. VEGA 1/0313/21; “Comparative proteomic and metabolomics analysis of fibroblasts and several types of human mesenchymal stem cells.”

The most important publications

Nováková S, Danchenko M, Okajčeková T, Baranovičová E, Kováč A, Grendár M, Beke G, Pálešová J, Strnádel J, Janíčková M, Halašová E, Škovierová H. Comparative Proteomic and Metabolomic Analysis of Human Osteoblasts, Differentiated from Dental Pulp Stem Cells, Hinted Crucial Signaling Pathways Promoting Osteogenesis. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22(15):7908. doi: 10.3390/ijms22157908

Škovierová H, Pavelek M, Okajčeková T, Pálešová J, Strnádel J, Špánik P, Halašová E, Frivaldský M. The Biocompatibility of Wireless Power Charging System on Human Neural Cells. App Sci 2021; 21(8):3611. doi.org/10.3390/app11083611

Sarlinova M, Baranovicova E, Skalicanova M, Dzian A, Petras M, Lehotsky J, Kalenska D, Racay P, Matakova T, Halasova E. Metabolomic profiling of blood plasma of patients with lung cancer and malignant tumors with metastasis in the lungs showed similar features and promising statistical discrimination against controls. Neoplasma 2021; 68(4):852-860. doi: 10.4149/neo_2021_210103N3

Okajcekova T, Strnadel J, Pokusa M, Zahumenska R, Janickova M, Halasova E, Skovierova H. A Comparative In Vitro Analysis of the Osteogenic Potential of Human Dental Pulp Stem Cells Using Various Differentiation Conditions. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21(7):2280. doi: 10.3390/ijms21072280

Nova Z, Skovierova H, Strnadel J, Halasova E, Calkovska A. Short-term vs long-term culture of A549 cells for evaluating the effects of Lipopolysaccharide on oxidative stress, surfactant proteins and cathelicidin LL-37. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21,1148. doi: 10.3390/ijms21031148

Braný D, Dvorská D, Halašová E, Škovierová H. Cold Atmospheric Plasma: A Powerful Tool for Modern Medicine. Int J Mol Sci. 2020;21(8):2932. doi: 10.3390/ijms21082932

Nováková S, Šubr Z, Kováč A, Fialová I, Beke G, Danchenko M. Cucumber mosaic virus resistance: Comparative proteomics of contrasting Cucumis sativus cultivars after long-term infection. J Proteom 2020; 214:103626. doi: 10.1016/j.jprot.2019.103626

Halašová E, Tóthová B, Pavelek M, Okajčeková T, Kmeťová Sivoňová M, Špánik P, Frivaldský M, Škovierová H. Effect of acute intermediate frequency electromagnetic field exposure on human neural cells. ELEKTRO 2020. doi: 10.1109/ELEKTRO49696.2020.9130239

Škovierová H, Okajčeková T, Strnádel J, Vidomanová E, Halašová E. Molecular regulation of epithelial- to-mesenchymal transition in tumorigenesis. Int J Mol Med 2018; 41(3):1187-1200. doi: 10.4149/neo_2018_180430N281

Sopková J, Vidomanová E, Strnádel J, Škovierová H, Halašová E. The role of statins as therapeutic agents in cancer. Gen Physiol Biophys 2017; 36(5):501-511. doi: 10.4149/gpb_2017045

Škovierová H, Vidomanová E, Mahmood S, Sopková J, Drgová A, Červeňová T, Halašová E, Lehotský J. The Molecular and Cellular Effect of Homocysteine Metabolism Imbalance on Human Health. Int J Mol Sci 2016; 17(10); pii: E1733. doi: 10.3390/ijms17101733

Sarlinova M, Halasa M, Mistuna M, Musak L, Iliev R, Slaby O, Mazuchova J, Valentova V, Plank L, Halasova E. miR-21, miR-221 and miR-150 are deregulated in peripheral blood of patients with colorectal cancer. Anticancer Res 2016; 36(10):5449-5454. doi: 10.21873/anticanres.11124

Škovierová H, Mahmood S, Blahovcová E, Hatok J, Lehotský J, Murín R. Effect of homocysteine on survival of human glial cells. Physiol Res 2015; 64(5):747-754. doi: 10.33549/physiolres.932897