Laboratory of Molecular and Systemic Neuromorphology
Head:Grzegorz WILCZYŃSKI
Staff: Małgorzata Broszkiewicz (PhD student), Joanna Dzwonek, Maciej Gawlak (PhD student), Anna Konopka, Monika Malinowska, Kamil Parobczak (PhD student), Małgorzata Siudek (student), Andrzej Szczepankiewicz, Agnieszka Walczak (PhD student), Marine Yeghiazaryan, Klaudia Ziemiańska (student)
Research profile:
Our research interest focuses on the structural and functional plasticity of the nervous system, in both health and disease. We study phenomena occurring at various levels of organization, including anatomical sub-structures of the brain, the nervous tissue with all its cellular constituents, subcellular-, and macromolecular levels. One major issue that we investigate is the role of the extracellular matrix in synaptic plasticity in the brain, and at neuromuscular junctions; this also involves studies of pathological plasticity occurring in various forms of epilepsy. Another major project focuses on the role of neuronal nuclear structure and immediate-early gene expression in learning and behaviour, and in epileptogenesis. We are also interested in advances of microscopy and tissue-visualization techniques. We cooperate extensively with several groups in the Nencki Institute and at the Medical University of Warsaw
Methods:
• immunocytochemistry
• in situ hybridization at the level of confocal- and electron- microscopy
• high resolution in situ zymography
• neuroanatomical methods
• molecular biology techniques
Current research activities:
• investigation of the possible pathogenic role of MMP-9 in temporal lobe epilepsy
• studies on the expression and role of matrix metalloproteinases at the neuromuscular junction
• studies on the role of CD44, an adhesion and signaling receptor, in neural plasticity
• investigation of the neuronal nuclear architecture in plasticity and epileptogenesis
• studies on the neuroanatomical correlates of different forms of learning and memory in the rat
Selected publications:
Konopka W., Kiryk A., Novak M., Herwerth M., Parkitna J.R., Wawrzyniak M., Kowarsch A., Michaluk P., Dzwonek J., Arnsperger T., Wilczyński G., Merkenschlager M., Theis F.J., Köhr G., Kaczmarek L., Schütz G. (2010) MicroRNA loss enhances learning and memory in mice. Journal of Neuroscience, 30: 14835-14842.
Szokalska A., Makowski M., Nowis D., Wilczyński G.M., Kujawa M., Wójcik C., Młynarczuk-Biały I., Salwa P., Bil J., Janowska S., Agostinis P., Verfaillie T., Bugajski M., Gietka J., Issat T., Głodkowska E., Mrówka P., Stokłosa T., Hamblin M.R., Mróz P., Jakóbisiak M., Gołąb J. (2009) Proteasome inhibition potentiates antitumor effects of photodynamic therapy in mice through induction of endoplasmic reticulum stress and unfolded protein response. Cancer Research, 69: 4235-4243.
Gorlewicz A., Włodarczyk J., Wilczek E., Gawlak M., Cabaj A., Majczyński H., Nestorowicz K., Herbik M.A., Grieb P., Sławińska U., Kaczmarek L., Wilczyński G.M. (2009) CD44 is expressed in non-myelinating Schwann cells of the adult rat, and may play a role in neurodegeneration-induced glial plasticity at the neuromuscular junction. Neurobiology of Disease, 34: 245-258.
Gawlak M., Górkiewicz T., Gorlewicz A., Konopacki F.A., Kaczmarek L., Wilczyński G.M. (2009) High resolution in situ zymog- raphy reveals matrix metalloproteinase activity at glutamatergic synapses. Neuroscience, 158: 167-176.
Wilczyński G.M., Konopacki F.A., Wilczek E., Lasiecka Z., Gorlewicz A., Michaluk P., Wawrzyniak M., Malinowska M., Olkuski P., Kołodziej L.R., Konopka W., Duniec K., Mioduszewska B., Nikolaev E., Walczak A., Owczarek D., Górecki D.C., Zuschratter W., Ottersen O.P., Kaczmarek L. (2008) Important role of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) in epileptogenesis. Journal of Cell Biology, 180: 1021-1035
