Medical Student Research Fellowship for Summer 2010

Mentor: Jay Horton, M.D.
Department: Internal Medicine - Digestive and Liver Diseases
Room number: L5.320
Mail Code:
Phone number: 214-648-9677
E-mail: Jay.Horton@UTSouthwestern.edu
Project title: Immortalization of Primary Fetal Hepatocytes

Human subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable):

Animal subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable):

Project Type

Basic Research

Brief Description of Project:

This project is an attempt to induce immortalization of primary fetal hepatocytes by transducing them with genes that promote cell cycle, growth and immortalization. Our intention is to create a hepatocyte stem cell line that is not only immortalized but also retains a metabolic profile similar to hepatocytes found in vivo. Having access to a hepatocyte stem cell line of this character would be a great asset to many different fields of metabolic research.

Previous Research Activities or Publications with Medical Students:

1. T.A. Lagace, D.E. Curtis, R. Garuti, M.C. McNutt, S. W. Park, H.B. Prather, N.N. Anderson, Y. K. Ho, R.E. Hammer, and J.D. Horton. 2006. Secreted PCSK9 decreases LDL receptors in hepatocytes and livers of parabiotic mice. J. Clin. Invest. 116:2995-3005.

2. M.C. McNutt, H-J. Kwon, C. Chen, J.R. Chen, J.D. Horton, T.A. Lagace. 2009. Antagonism of secreted PCSK9 increases low-density lipoprotein receptor expression in HepG2 cells. J. Biol. Chem. 284:10561-10570. PMCID: PMC2701207.