The Department of Cell Biology was established on 1 April 1979 at the Institute of Molecular Biology of the Jagiellonian University by Prof. dr hab. Włodzimierz Korohoda, who became the first head of the newly founded unit. Since 2006 the Department has been led by Prof. dr hab. Zbigniew Madeja.

The JU Department of Cell Biology conducts research in the following areas:

• functions of direct cell-cell interactions in regulating cancer cell migration activity,
• influence of the functions of gap junctions and cell adhesion molecules on the invasiveness of cancer cells,
• role of reactive oxygen species in regulating the migration activity and intercellular communication by gap junctions,
• electrotaxis mechanisms,
• epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) mechanisms,
• application of electrochemical methods in cell biology,
• mechanisms of phenotypic change of fibroblasts into myofibroblasts and its role in respiratory tract walls restructuring in bronchial asthma,
• mechanisms of endocytosis,
• application of in vitro skin cell cultures in clinical practice, such as wound treatment and plastic surgery,
• optimalization of stem cell and progenitor cell populations for applications in experimental cardiology including pluripotent stem cells VSELs and iPS as well as mesenchymal stem cells of different antigenic phenotype,
• use of stem cells and progenitor cells in regenerative medicine (http://www.stemcells-project.eu/).

MIGRATION	COMMUNICATION	EMT	WOUND TREATMENT