Main

Fields of interest:

• The role of SDF-1-CXCR4 axis in tissue/organ regeneration and cancer metastasis.
• The biology of bone marrow-derived CXCR4 positive embryonic-ljke pluripotent/tissue specific stem cells.
• The role of complement proteins in homing, engraftment and mobilization of hematopoietic stem cells. Autocrine/paracrine regulation of human hematopoiesis.
• The role of HIV-autoprotective chemokines in resistance of human stem cells to HIV.

Recent publications (selected):

M. Kucia, R. Reca, V.R. Jala, B. Dawn, J. Ratajczak, M.Z. Ratajczak:
Bone marrow as a home of heterogenous populations of nonhematopoietic stem cells,
Leukemia , Vol. 19, 2005, pp. 1118-1127.

M. Kucia, R. Reca, K. Miekus, J. Wanzeck, W. Wojakowski,
A. Janowska-Wieczorek, J. Ratajczak, M.Z. Ratajczak:
Trafficking of Normal Stem Cells and Metastasis of Cancer Stem Cells. Involve Similar Mechanisms: Pivotal Role of the SDF-1?CXCR4 Axis,
Stem Cells, Vol. 23, 2005, pp. 879-894.

M. Kucia, J. Ratajczak, M.Z. Ratajczak:
Are Bone marrow stem cells plastic or heterogenous - that is the question,
Exp. Hematol., Vol. 33, 2005, pp. 613-623.

M. Kucia, D. Dawn, G. Hunt, Y. Guo, M. Wysoczynski, M. Majka, J. Ratajczak,
F. Rezzoug, S.T. Ildstad, R. Bolli, M.Z. Ratajczak:
Cells expressing markers of cardiac tissue-committed stem cells reside in the bone marrow and are mobilized into peripheral blood following myocardial infraction,
Cir. Research, Vol. 95, 2004, pp. 1191-1199.

W. Wojakowski, M. Tendera, A. Michalowska, M. Majka, M. Kucia,
K. Maslankiewicz, R. Wyderka, A. Ochala, M.Z. Ratajczak:
The mobilization od CD34+/CXCR4+, CD34+/CD117+, c-Met+ stem cells and mononuclear cells expressing early cardiac, muscle and endothelial markers into peripheral blood in patients with acute myocardial infarction,
Circulation, Vol. 110, 2004, pp. 3213-3220.

M. Wysoczynski, R. Reca, J. Ratajczak, M. Kucia, N. Shirvaikar,
M. Mills, J. Wanzeck, M. Honczarenko, A. Janowska-Wieczorek,
M.Z. Ratajczak:
Incorporation of CXCR4 into Membrane Lipid Rafts Primes Homing-related responses of Hematopoietic Stem Cells to an SDF-1 Gradient,
Blood, Vol. 105, 2005, pp. 40-48.

M.Z. Ratajczak, R. Reca, M. Wysoczynski, M. Kucia, J.T. Baran,
D.J. Allendorf, J. Ratajczak, G.D.Ross:
Transplantation studies in C3-deficient animals reveal a novel role of the third complement component (C3) in engraftment of bone marrow cells,
Leukemia, Vol. 18, 2004, pp. 1482-1490.

J. Ratajczak, R. Reca, M. Kucia, M. Majka, D.J. Allendorf, J.T. Baran,
A. Janowska-Wieczorek, R.A. Wetsel, G.D. Ross, M.Z. Ratajczak:
Mobilization Studies in Mice Deficient in Either C3 or C3a-Receptor (C3aR) Reveal a Novel Role For Complement in Retention of Hematopoietic, Stem/Progenitor Cells in Bone Marrow.
Blood, Vol. 103, 2004, pp. 2071-2078.

M.Z. Ratajczak, M. Kucia, R. Reca, M. Majka, A. Janowska-Wieczorek,
J. Ratajczak:
Stem cell plasticity revisited: CXCR4-positive cells expressing mRNA for early muscle, liver and neural cells "hide out" in the bone marrow,
Leukemia, Vol. 18, 2004, pp. 29-40.

K. Jankowski, M. Kucia, M. Wysoczynski, R. Reca, D. Zhao, E. Trzyna,
M. Zembala, J. Ratajczak, P. Houghton, A. Janowska-Wieczorek,
M.Z. Ratajczak:
Both HGF and SDF-1 Regulate the Metastatic Behavior of Human Rhabdomyosarcoma Cells, but only HGF Enhances their Resistance to Radio-chemotherapy,
Cancer Res., Vol. 63, 2003, pp. 7926-7935.

R. Reca, D. Mastellos, M. Majka, L. Marquez, J. Ratajczak, S. Franchini,
A. Glodek, M. Honczarenko, L.A. Spruce, A. Janowska-Wieczorek,
J.D. Lambris, M.Z. Ratajczak:
Functional receptor for C3a anaphylatoxin is expressed by normal hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells and C3a enhances homing-related responses of early hematopoietic cells to SDF-1,
Blood, Vol. 101, 2003, pp. 3784-3793.

T. Rozmyslowicz, M. Majka, J. Kijowski, S.L. Murphy, D. O'Connover,
M. Poncz, J. Ratajczak, G.N. Gaulton, M.Z.Ratajczak:
Platelet- and megakaryocyte-derived microparticles transfer CXCR4 receptor to CXCR4-null cells and make them susceptible to infection by X4-HIV,
AIDS, Vol. 17, 2003, pp. 33-42.

J. Libura, J. Drukala, M. Majka, O. Tomeascu, J.M. Navenot, M. Kucia,
L. Marquez, S.C. Peiper, F.G. Barr, A. Janowska-Wieczorek, M.Z. Ratajczak:
CXCR4-SDF-1 signaling is active in rhabdomyosarcoma cells and regulates locomotion, chemotaxis and adhesion.
Blood, Vol. 100, 2002, pp. 2597-2606.

A. Janowska-Wieczorek, M. Majka, J. Kijowski, M. Baj-Krzyworzeka,
R. Reca, A.R. Turner, J. Ratajczak, M.A. Kowalska, M.Z.Ratajczak:
Platelet-derived microparticles (PMPs) bind to hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPC) and enhance their engraftment,
Blood, Vol. 98, 2001, pp. 3143-3149.

M. Majka, A. Janowska-Wieczorek, J. Ratajczak, K. Ehrenman,
M.A. Kowalska, A.M. Gewirtz, S.G. Emerson, M.Z. Ratajczak:
Numerous growth factors, cytokines and chemokines are secreted by human CD34+ cells, myeloblasts, erythroblasts and megakaryoblasts and regulate normal hematopoiesis in an autocrine/paracrine manner,
Blood, Vol. 97, 2001, pp. 3075-3085.

M. Majka, A. Janowska-Wieczorek, J. Ratajczak, M.A. Kowalska, G. Vilaire,
Z.K. Pan, M. Honczarenko, L.A. Marquez, M. Poncz, M.Z. Ratajczak:
Stromal Derived Factor-1 and Thrombopoietin Regulate Distinct Aspects of Human Megakaryopoiesis,
Blood, Vol. 96, 2000, pp. 4142-4151.

M. Majka, T. Rozmyslowicz, B. Lee, Z. Pietrzkowski, G.N. Gaulton,
L. Silberstein, M.Z. Ratajczak:
Bone Marrow CD34+ cells and megakaryoblasts secrete beta-chemokines; implications for infectability by M-tropic human immunodeficiency virus (R5 HIV),
J. Clin. Invest., Vol. 104, 1999, pp. 1739-1749.

B. Lee, J. Ratajczak, R.W. Doms, A.M. Gewirtz, M.Z. Ratajczak:
Coreceptor/chemokine receptor expression on human hematopoietic cells: Biological implications for HIV-1 infection.
Blood, Vol. 93, 1999, 1145-1156.