Liquan Cai

Liquan Cai, PhD
Assistant Professor

Research Interest

Our current research involves human induced pluripotent stem cells, CRISPR gene editing, and mouse genetics to dissect out the cell signaling function of Na+/K+-ATPase in addition to its conventional role as an ion pump. We focus on the biology of skeletal muscle cells and cardiomyocytes in physiological and pathophysiological conditions, aiming to develop new medicine and therapy to cure muscle wasting through activating the regeneration capacity of muscle stem cells.

Biosketch

Publications

• Huang M, Wang X, Chen Y, Pessoa M, Terrell K, Zhang J, Tian J, Xie Z, Pierre SV, Cai L (2024) Role of Na/K-ATPase α1 caveolin-binding motif in adipogenesis. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 27(1):C48-C64. PMID: 38708522 PMCID: PMC11371328 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00168.2024

• Huang M, Wang X, Banerjee M, Mukherji ST, Kutz LC, Zhao A, Sepanski M, Fan CM, Zhu GZ, Tian J, Wang DZ, Zhu H, Xie ZJ, Pierre SV, Cai L. Regulation of Myogenesis by a Na/K-ATPase α1 Caveolin-Binding Motif. Stem Cells. 2022 Mar 16;40(2):133-148. doi: 10.1093/stmcls/sxab012. PubMed PMID: 35257186; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8943859

• Wang X, Cai L, Xie JX, Cui X, Zhang J, Wang J, Chen Y, Larre I, Shapiro JI, Pierre SV, Wu D, Zhu GZ, Xie Z. A caveolin binding motif in Na/K-ATPase is required for stem cell differentiation and organogenesis in mammals and C.elegans. Sci Adv. 2020 May;6(22):eaaw5851. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.aaw5851. eCollection 2020 May. PubMed PMID: 32537485; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC7253156.

• Cai L, Phong BL, Fisher AL, Wang Z. Regulation of fertility, survival, and cuticle collagen function by the Caenorhabditis elegans eaf-1 and ell-1 genes. J Biol Chem. 2011 Oct 14;286(41):35915-35921. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M111.270454. Epub 2011 Aug 31. PubMed PMID: 21880729; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3195645.

• Cai L, Das B, Brown DD. Changing a limb muscle growth program into a resorption program. Dev Biol. 2007 Apr 1;304(1):260-71. doi: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2006.12.031. Epub 2006 Dec 19. PubMed PMID: 17234173; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC1868508.

• Cai L, Cao Y, Duan E. Effects of leukaemia inhibitory factor on embryo implantation in the mouse. Cytokine. 2000 Nov;12(11):1676-82. doi: 10.1006/cyto.2000.0758. PubMed PMID: 11052819.

• Cai L, Huang C, Li Q. The adaptive thermogenesis of the gerbils’ brown adipose tissue. Dong wu xue bao. [Acta zoologica Sinica]. 1998; 44(4):391-397.