Stem Cell Differentiation and Cytogenetics
Group leader: Dr. Sylvia Ritter
Stem cells play a pivotal role in tissue development and maintenance by replenishing cells lost due to physiological tissue turnover or due to damaging agents such as ionizing radiation. To fully understand the effects of X-ray and particle exposure on stem cells and the underlying molecular mechanisms the group utilizes several cell models: embryonic stem cells, which can give rise to all tissues of an organism (left panel), their progeny (e.g. neural stem cells, middle panel) as well as bone marrow stem cells. Parameters such as cell survival, marker expression, differentiation capacity and genetic stability (left panel) are examined at various times after exposure. Currently, the group focuses on the effects of radon that is offered for the treatment of rheumatic diseases, carbon-ions that are increasingly used in cancer therapy and Fe-ions that are relevant for space Research
Main research topics
- Radiation response of human embryonic stem cells and their progeny
- Self-renewal
- Differentiation/regeneration (neural cells, cardiomyocytes)
- Functionality
- Genetic stability
- Cytogenetic damage in hematopoietic stem and somatic cells
- Effects of radon spa therapy (in vivo studies)
- RBE of HZE-particles heavy ions (in vitro studies)
Collaborations
- Helmholtz Zentrum München, Germany (Dr. O. Azimzadeh, Dr. S. Tapio)
- University of Applied Sciences Aschaffenburg, Germany (Professor C. Thielemann)
- Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Dubna, Russia (Dr. E. Nasonova)
- Technical University of Ilmenau, Germany (Prof. A. Schober)
- Technical University of Darmstadt, Germany (Prof. B. Laube, Prof. M. Löbrich, Prof. G. Thiel)
- Heidelberg University Hospital, Germany (Prof. J. Debus)
Funding
- BMBF 02NUK049A (Verbundprojekt Brain Radiation Assay: Etablierung eines in vitro Systems zur Analyse und Prädiktion von Schäden im zentralen Nervensystem nach Exposition mit ionisierender Strahlung in Kombination mit anderen Neurotoxika)
- BMBF 02NUK050A (Verbundprojekt GREWIS-alpha: Genetische Risiken und entzündungshemmende Wirkung von dicht-ionisierender alpha-Strahlung)
- HGS-HIRE (Helmholtz Graduate School for Hadron and Ion Research)
Group members
- Research scientists:
Dr. Carola Hartel (Genetic risk of Radon)
Dr. Insa Schröder (Stem cells and Differentiation) - Technicians:
Emilia Choman
Kim Sara Jung
Dr. Yvonne Knies - PhD students:
Kim Röder
Celine Schielke
Timo Smit
Esther Schickel
Selected publications
- Hartel C et al., Chromosomal aberrations in peripheral blood lymphocytes of prostate cancer patients treated with IMRT and carbon ions. Radiother Oncol.95, 73 (2010
- Hartel C et al., Persistence of radiation-induced aberrations in patients after radiotherapy with C-ions and IMRT.
Clin Transl Radiat Oncol. 13, 57 (2018). doi: 10.1016/j.ctro.2018.10.002. eCollection 2018 Nov. PMID: 30364751 Free PMC article. - Helm A et al., Ionizing radiation impacts on cardiac differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells. Stem Cells Dev. 25, 178 (2016)
- Lee R et al., Chromosome aberration measurements in mitotic and G2-PCC lymphocytes at the standard sampling time of 48 h underestimate the effectiveness of high-LET particles. Radiat Environ Biophys 50, 371 (2011)
- Luft S et al., Fate of D3 mouse embryonic stem cells exposed to X-rays or carbon ions. Mutat Res Genet Toxicol Environ Mutagen760, 56 (2014)
- Luft S et al., Ionizing radiation alters human embryonic stem cell properties and differentiation capacity by diminishing the expression of activin receptors. Stem Cells Dev. 26, 341 (2017)
- Mayer M et al., Novel in vitro assay to investigate radiation induced changes in the functionality of human embryonic stem cell-derived neurospheres. Neurotoxicology. 2020 Jul; 79:40-47. doi: 10.1016/j.neuro.2020.04.003. Epub 2020 Apr 19.
- Nitsch S et al., Functional video-based analysis of 3D cardiac structures generated from human embryonic stem cells. Stem Cell Res.29, 115 (2018)
- Ritter S and Durante M, Heavy-ion induced chromosomal aberrations: a review. Mutat Res14, 701, 38 (2010)
- Schielke et al., Solving the issue of ionizing radiation induced neurotoxicity by using novel cell models and state of the art accelerator facilities. Front. Phys. 2020 Sep; 8:568027.doi: 10.3389/fphy.2020.568027