Department of Cell Fate Control

Department

Professor Hiroshi Sasaki
Assistant Professor Yoshikazu Hirate

Research themes

[Names and Summaries of Research Projects]

Our body consists of a large number of cells. To create the body properly through embryonic development, and to maintain it properly throughout one's life, cells have to communicate each other to coordinate their behaviors in one's body. Malfunction of intercellular communication during development would cause body malformation, while malfunction after birth would cause diseases like tumors or abnormality of organ sizes.
In this laboratory, we are studying the mechanisms of development by focusing on the Hippo signaling pathway, which plays central roles in contact-mediated intercellular communication. The aims of our research projects are as follows:

  1. To understand the molecular mechanisms of contact-mediated intercellular communications.
  2. To understand the roles of contact-mediated intercellular communications and Hippo signaling in early mouse embryogenesis.
  3. To understand the mechanisms of cell fate specification in pre-implantation mouse embryos.
  4. Familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP): We are using humanized mice carrying both human transthyretin and retinol biding protein genes to analyzed patho-physiology of disease development and to devise a new way of treatment.

Details of the research projects are described in the Website described above.