Bryon Petersen, PhD
Associate Professor
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Dept. of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine |
Primary Area of Research:
Currently my lab focuses on liver growth, development and regeneration under normal and carcinogeneic conditions. Compensatory hyperplasia of the liver, most often referred to as liver regeneration, takes place after the occurrence of mild or severe injury, as resulting from a surgical partial hepatectomy or the widespread injury caused by hepatotoxic agents like carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) or acetaminophen. We are currently studying the molecular signals involved in the regenerative process.
A more focused aspect of our research deals with the hepatic oval stem cell and their involvement in the hepatic architecture as it pertains to the regenerative process. Hepatic oval stem cells are a small sub-population of cells found in the liver when hepatocyte proliferation is impeded and followed by some type of hepatic injury. The hepatic stem cells can be stimulated to proliferate using a 2-AAF/hepatic injury (i.e. CCl4, PHx) protocol. These cells are believed to be bipotential, able to differentiate into hepatocytes and bile ductular cells. We have recently shown that the hepatic oval cell are derived from an extra-hepatic source, see Science 284: 1168-1170. We are investigating the pathways involved in the recruitment of bone marrow derived to the liver in both in vivo and in vitro conditions. In addition, we are exploring the use of a highly pure population of oval cells to ascertain their potential for gene/cell therapy techniques.
Related Links:
American Liver Foundation
American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
Hepatology
American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASDL)
American Society for Investigative Pathology (ASIP)
John Hopkins Presentation