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RESEARCH

za opis Urothelial cell differentiatipon (p6417 577).tif

UROTHELIAL CELL DIFFERENTIATION

The urothelium lines the major portion of the urinary tract, including the bladder. It consists of basal, intermediate and superficial cell layers. The terminally differentiated superficial (umbrella) cells are covered by multiple urothelial plaques, which provide a permeability barrier to urine. Plaques are formed by at least four integral transmembrane proteins, known as the uroplakins. The urothelium functions also as a part of bladder sensory web, which receives information about changes of its mechanochemical environment and communicates with other tissues of the urinary bladder wall. Our research focuses on mechanisms of urothelial differentiation and regeneration in health and disease. We are particularly interested in development of urothelial carcinoma and interstitial cystitis.  In this regard we are analysing vesicular traffic in biosynthetic-exocytotic and endocytotic-degradation pathways and intercellular communications through retinoid signalling, extracellular vesicles, receptors and ion channels. 

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Notable publications:

  • ZUPANČIČ, Daša, KORAĆ-PRLIĆ, Jelena, ERDANI-KREFT, Mateja, FRANKOVIĆ, Lucija, VILOVIĆ, Katarina, JERUC, Jera, ROMIH, Rok, TERZIĆ, Janoš. Vitamin A rich diet diminishes early urothelial carcinogenesis by altering retinoic acid signaling. Cancers. 2020, vol. 12, iss. 7, str. 1-19, ilustr. ISSN 2072-6694. https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/12/7/1712, DOI: 10.3390/cancers12071712. [COBISS.SI-ID 21184515]

  • VIŠNJAR, Tanja, CHESI, Giancarlo, IACOBACCI, Simona, POLISHCHUK, Elena, RESNIK, Nataša, ROBENEK, Horst, KREFT, Marko, ROMIH, Rok, POLISHCHUK, Roman S., ERDANI-KREFT, Mateja. Uroplakin traffic through the Golgi apparatus induces its fragmentation : new insights from novel in vitro models. Scientific reports. Oct. 2017, vol. 7, str. 1-16, ilustr. ISSN 2045-2322. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-13103-x, DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-13103-x. [COBISS.SI-ID 33437401]

  • HUDOKLIN, Samo, JEZERNIK, Kristijan, NEUMÜLLER, Josef, PAVELKA, Margit, ROMIH, Rok. Urothelial plaque formation in post-Golgi compartments. PloS one. 2011, vol. 6, issue 8, str. e23636. ISSN 1932-6203. http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0023636, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0023636. [COBISS.SI-ID 28976345]

  • ERDANI-KREFT, Mateja, ROMIH, Rok, KREFT, Marko, JEZERNIK, Kristijan. Endocytotic activity of bladder superficial urothelial cells is inversely related to their differentiation stage. Differentiation. 2009, letn. 77, št. 1, str. 48-59. ISSN 0301-4681. DOI: 10.1016/j.diff.2008.09.011. [COBISS.SI-ID 25479641]

  • ROMIH, Rok, KOROŠEC, Peter, DE MELLO, Wilson, JEZERNIK, Kristijan. Differentiation of epithelial cells in the urinary tract. Cell and tissue research. 2005, letn. 320, str. 259-268. ISSN 0302-766X. [COBISS.SI-ID 19282649]

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