Department Affiliation: Research Associate in Cell Biology and Anatomy

Education: Ph.D. Johns Hopkins University, B.S. Towson University

Telephone Number: 410-955-2337

Fax Number: 410-955-4129

Mol. Biol. Cell, (1999) Vol 10, 318a.

The WIF-B cell is a well characterized polarized rat hepatoma hybrid cell line that has properties similar to hepatocytes in vivo (Shanks, M., Cassio, D., Lecoq, O., Hubbard, A. L. (1994) J. Cell Sci., 107, 813-825). They have a functional apical domain (BC), a property that distinguishes this cell line from other hepatocyte cell lines. Expression of the polarized phenotype is not immediate and occurs during the culture period. Initially, apical domains were observed in less than 10% of the population whereas by day 11 apical domains were found in ~80%. To examine the relationship of apical polarity and gene expression, total RNA was purified from WIF-B cells on days 5, 6, 8 and 11 of culture. By the restriction fragment differential display PCR (RFDD-PCR) method, we have observed genes whose expression is 1) down regulated in WIF-B cells relative to the FAO parent cell line, 2) upregulated at Day 6 during WIF-B proliferation and 3) upregulated at day 8 prior to the widespread appearance of BCs. These data demonstrate differential gene expression patterns during progression of WIF-B cells to the polarized phenotype.