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We investigate the signaling and genetic regulation of self-renewal, commitment and differentiation of cardiac stem cells and try to identify feasible strategies for paracrine stimulation of endogenous cardiac stem cells in the diseased heart, in order to facilitate regenerative therapy and to improve the quality of life.
We investigate the interaction of SPARC and desmin and their influence on the transcription factor network regulating homeostasis in cardiac stem cells.
Georg Weitzer studied biochemistry and philosophy at the University of Vienna, and went to Houston, Texas for a two-year post-doctoral fellowship. Back in Vienna he established a research group at the University of Vienna and later at the Medical University of Vienna, where he studies some molecular aspects of cardiomyogenesis and teaches cell biology and development of stem cells.
Main Building
Room: 2.118
+43 1 4277 61717
Desmin promotes Nkx2.5 transcription and cardiomyogenesis in cardiac stem cells and embryonic stem cells of the mouse. Fuchs, C., Gawlas, G., Heher, P., Nikouli, S., Paar, H., Ivankovic, M., Schultheis, M., Klammer, J., Gottschamel, T., Capetanaki, Y., and Weitzer, G. Desmin enters the nucleus of cardiac stem cells and modulates Nkx2.5 expression by participating in transcription factor complexes that interact with the nkx2.5 gene. (2016) Biology Open, DOI: 10.1242/bio.014993
Identification of niche conditions allowing maintenance of adult cardiac stem cells ex vivo. Hoebaus, J., Heher, P., Gottschamel, T., Scheinast, M., Auner, H., Walder, D., Wiedner, M., Taubenschmid, J., Miksch, M., Sauer, T., Schultheis, M., Kuzmenkin, A., Seiser, C., Hescheler, J., Weitzer, G. Embryonic Stem Cells Facilitate the Isolation of Persistent Clonal Cardiovascular Progenitor Cell Lines and Leukemia Inhibitor Factor Maintains their Self-Renewal and Myocardial Differentiation Potential In vitro. (2013) Cells Tissues and Organs. 197, 249-68. DOI: 10.1159/000345804
Embryo-like morphogenesis and symmetry-breaking in embryoid bodies. Fuchs C., Scheinast M., Pasteiner W., Lagger S., Hofner M., Höllrigl A., Schultheis M., Weitzer G. Self-organisation phenomena in embryonic stem cell derived embryoid bodies: Axis formation and breaking of symmetry during cardiomyogenesis. (2012) Cells Tissues and Organs. 195,377-391. DOI: 10.1159/000328712
SPARC promotes Nkx2.5 transcription and cardiomyogenesis in embryonic stem cells and cardiac progenitor cells. Stary, M., Pasteiner, W., Summer, A., Hrdina, A., Eger, A., and Weitzer, G. (2005). Parietal endoderm secreted SPARC promotes early cardiomyogenesis in vitro. Experimental Cell Research, 310, 331-343. DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2005.07.013
Chiang Wei Liao
Trainee +43 1 4277 61761
Room: 2.522
Claudia Rudolf
Technician +43 1 4277 61761
Room: 2.522
Georg Weitzer
Group Leader +43 1 4277 61717
Room: 2.118
Embryonic stem cells facilitate the isolation of persistent clonal cardiovascular progenitor cell lines and leukemia inhibitor factor maintains their self-renewal and myocardial differentiation potential in vitro.
Hoebaus Julia, Heher Philipp, Gottschamel Teresa, Scheinast Matthias, Auner Harmen, Walder Diana, Wiedner Marc, Taubenschmid Jasmin, Miksch Maximilian, Sauer Thomas, Schultheis Martina, Kuzmenkin Alexey, Seiser Christian, Hescheler Juergen, Weitzer Georg
Self-organization phenomena in embryonic stem cell-derived embryoid bodies: axis formation and breaking of symmetry during cardiomyogenesis.
Fuchs Christiane, Scheinast Matthias, Pasteiner Waltraud, Lagger Sabine, Hofner Manuela, Hoellrigl Alexandra, Schultheis Martina, Weitzer Georg
Mechanisms of cardiogenesis in cardiovascular progenitor cells.
Taubenschmid Jasmin, Weitzer Georg