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null Mari Kaartinen, PhD

Associate Investigator, RI-MUHC

Metabolic Disorders and Complications Program

Associate Professor, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences, McGill University

 

Keywords

extracellular matrix • transglutaminases • Factor XIII-A • plasma fibronectin • bone formation • osteoporosis • adipogenesis • energy metabolism

Research Focus

My research explores how the extracellular environment influences cell behavior in bone and fat tissues, with a focus on transglutaminase enzymes—particularly Factor XIII-A—and its substrate plasma fibronectin. We study how these factors affect mesenchymal stem cell survival, differentiation into adipocytes and osteoblasts, and their role in conditions like osteoporosis and adipose tissue dysfunction. We also investigate transglutaminase-driven monocyte-to-osteoclast differentiation and extracellular matrix-mediated cell communication in the bone marrow. Our work integrates transgenic and disease animal models, cell and matrix biology, biochemistry, and chemical biology. I am also an Associate Member in the Division of Clinical and Translational Research and the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology at McGill University.

Selected Publications

Click on Pubmed to see my current publications list

  • Soltani F, Wellman M, Ebrahimi Samani S, Pacis A, Lordkipanidze M, Kaartinen MT (2025) Neutrophil Factor XIII-A transglutaminase contributes to Neutrophil Extracellular Trap (NET)-mediated fibrin network formation. Thromb. Hemost. Jan 20. doi: 10.1055/a-2504-1559. PMID: 39694058.

  • Mahmoodi M, Mirzarazi Dahagi E, Nabavi M-H, Ylauna Penalva, Gosaine A, Murshed M, Couldwell S, Lisa Munter, Kaartinen MT (2024) Circulating plasma fibronectin affects tissue insulin sensitivity, adipocyte differentiation and transcriptional landscape of adipose tissue in mice. Phys. Rep. (IF 2.4), Jul;12(14):e16152. PMID: 39054559.

  • Kaartinen MT, Hang A, Barry A, Arora M, Heinonen S, Lundholm J, Hakkarainen A, Rissanen A, Kaprio J, Pietilainen K (2022). Matrisome alterations in in obesity – a transcriptomics study on weight-discordant monozygotic twins. Matrix Biology. 108, 1-19. PMID: 35227930.

  • Mousa A, Cui C, Song A, Myneni VD, J. Li, Murshed M, Melino G, Kaartinen MT (2017). Transglutaminases Factor XIII-A and TG2 regulate resorption, adipogenesis and plasma fibronectin homeostasis in bone and bone marrow. Cell Death Diff. 24(5):844-854. PMID: 28387755.

  • Myneni VD, Hitomi K, Kaartinen MT (2014). Factor XIII-A transglutaminase acts as a switch between preadipocyte proliferation and differentiation. Blood. 124(8):1344-53. PMID: 24934257.