Sanna Koskimaki

RESEARCH, TEACHING, or OTHER INTERESTS

Immunology and Microbiology, Developmental Neuroscience, Developmental Biology

Scopus Publications

TRPV4—A Multifunctional Cellular Sensor Protein with Therapeutic Potential
Sanna Koskimäki and Sari Tojkander
MDPI AG
Transient receptor potential vanilloid (TRPV) channel proteins belong to the superfamily of TRP proteins that form cationic channels in the animal cell membranes. These proteins have various subtype-specific functions, serving, for example, as sensors for pain, pressure, pH, and mechanical extracellular stimuli. The sensing of extracellular cues by TRPV4 triggers Ca2+-influx through the channel, subsequently coordinating numerous intracellular signaling cascades in a spatio-temporal manner. As TRPV channels play such a wide role in various cellular and physiological functions, loss or impaired TRPV protein activity naturally contributes to many pathophysiological processes. This review concentrates on the known functions of TRPV4 sensor proteins and their potential as a therapeutic target.


Gellan gum-gelatin based cardiac models support formation of cellular networks and functional cardiomyocytes
Hanna Vuorenpää, Joona Valtonen, Kirsi Penttinen, Sanna Koskimäki, Emma Hovinen, Antti Ahola, Christine Gering, Jenny Parraga, Minna Kelloniemi, Jari Hyttinen,et al.
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
AbstractCardiovascular diseases remain as the most common cause of death worldwide. To reveal the underlying mechanisms in varying cardiovascular diseases, in vitro models with cells and supportive biomaterial can be designed to recapitulate the essential components of human heart. In this study, we analyzed whether 3D co-culture of cardiomyocytes (CM) with vascular network and with adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (ASC) can support CM functionality. CM were cultured with either endothelial cells (EC) and ASC or with only ASC in hydrazide-modified gelatin and oxidized gellan gum hybrid hydrogel to form cardiovascular multiculture and myocardial co-culture, respectively. We studied functional characteristics of CM in two different cellular set-ups and analyzed vascular network formation, cellular morphology and orientation. The results showed that gellan gum-gelatin hydrogel supports formation of two different cellular networks and functional CM. We detected formation of a modest vascular network in cardiovascular multiculture and extensive ASC-derived alpha smooth muscle actin -positive cellular network in multi- and co-culture. iPSC-CM showed elongated morphology, partly aligned orientation with the formed networks and presented normal calcium transients, beating rates, and contraction and relaxation behavior in both setups. These 3D cardiac models provide promising platforms to study (patho) physiological mechanisms of cardiovascular diseases.

Publications

Kärki, T., Koskimäki, S., Guenther, C., Pirhonen, J., Rajakylä, Kaisa., & Tojkander, S. (2024).
Mechanosensitive TRPV4 channel guides maturation and organization of the bilayered mammary epithelium. Scientific reports, 14(1), 6774. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-57346-x
Koskimäki, S., & Tojkander, S. (2024). TRPV4-A Multifunctional Cellular Sensor Protein with Therapeutic Potential. Sensors, 24(21), 6923. doi: 10.3390/s24216923.
Vuorenpää, H., Valtonen, J., Penttinen, K., Koskimäki, S. et al. (2024). Gellan gum-gelatin based cardiac models support formation of cellular networks and functional cardiomyocytes. Cytotechnology, 76(4), 483–502. doi: 10.1007/s10616-024-00630-5