Krois Lab
Research
In addition to roles in vision, vitamin A also functions as a key signaling molecule, regulating broad transcriptional changes within a cell. In order to carry out signaling, the vitamin A we eat must be converted by enzymes called retinol dehydrogenases (RDH) and retainal dehydrogenases (RALDH) into retinoic acid.
Regulation of RDH and RALDH, and therefore the regulation of retinoic acid, is poorly understood. My lab utilizes cultured brown adipose tissue cells to explore which hormonal signals regulate expression of RDH and RALDH, in hopes of gaining a better understanding of vitamin A's contribution to metabolic diseases like obesity and diabetes.
Common Techniques
- Mammalian Cell Culture and Differentiation
- RNA Isolation and Reverse Transcription
- qPCR
- Western Blot
- Enzyme Activity Assays
Student Presentations
CJ Henrik Olson, et. al. (2019) Thyroid hormone regulation of retinoic acid synthesis in brown adipose tissue. American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL.
