Myocardial ischemia activates innate protective mechanisms, enhancing cardiomyocyte resistance to ischemic injury. This presentation focuses on myocardial ischemia-activated liver-dependent mechanisms for myocardial protection. In response to coronary artery ligation-induced experimental myocardial ischemia, the liver exhibits upregulation of secretory proteins, which are released into the circulatory system to mitigate myocardial infarction. Myocardial ischemia also induces hepatic cell mobilization and engraftment to the ischemic myocardium, contributing to myocardial protection. These investigations suggest that the liver is evolved as an organ responsible not only for metabolism and detoxification, but also for protection of vital organs such as the heart.

" My research is focused on cardiovascular regenerative engineering, the engineering aspect of cardiovascular regenerative medicine. One of the ongoing research projects is to investigate the role of the liver in myocardial protection and regeneration following experimental myocardial ischemia. Hepatocytes can naturally respond to myocardial ischemia to express secreted factors, which contribute to the protection and regeneration of injured myocardium. These secreted factors can be identified, produced by recombinant biotechnology, and used to mitigate myocardial infarction and promote myocardial regeneration in coronary heart disease. Another research topic is enhancement of endothelial cell retention in arterial substitutes. Molecular engineering approaches are developed and used to activate endothelial cell adhesion-promoting molecules and/or suppress endothelial cell adhesion-inhibiting molecules, thus enhancing endothelial cell retention and mitigating arterial substitute intimal hyperplasia and restenosis. Overall, the goals of our research are to enhance protection and regeneration of injured myocardium and improve the performance of reconstructed arteries by developing and using engineering technologies."
-Taken from Dr. Liu's Faculty Profile page.

Department of Bioengineering (BioE)