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Dr. Takahisa Furukawa
Department of Developmental Biology Osaka Bioscience Institute
6-2-4 Furuedai,
Suita, Osaka 565-0874
Japan -
+81-6-6872-4853
+81-6-6872-3933
furukawa(at)obi.or.jp 
More than a hundred billion of neurons reside in the human brain. These enormous numbers of neurons are variable in terms of their morphologies, gene expressions, neurotransmitter types and functions. How is the information to control both precise identities of these neurons and formation of complicated neural networks programmed on our DNA? How does each neuron and glia choose their cell fate from common progenitors? How does each neuron precisely recognize other neurons and form correct synapses? How does each neural circuit realize physiological function and behavior? Finally, how is malformation or dysfunction of these steps related to our diseases? Our lab is challenging these problems by using the retina as a model system to explore the CNS. Our main technical approaches are molecular biology, histology, physiology, and mouse molecular genetics using KO/transgenic mice including BAC transgenic and conditional KO mice.
I. Molecular mechanism of synapse formation in the retina
Ultrastructural images of ribbon synapses in the wild-type (left) and pikachurin KO (right) mouse retinas.
In the wild-type retina, a normal rod synaptic terminus contains an invaginating bipolar terminus, in contrast, the pikachurin KO retina lacks bipolar terminus.
II. Mechanisms of cell fate determination of the vertebrate retina
We are studying cell fate determination of retinal photoreceptors as a model system of the vertebrate CNS. The photoreceptor-specific conditional KO mouse retina displays a dramatic cell fate conversion from photoreceptor precursors (PR) to amacrine-like neurons (A).
III. Molecular mechanisms underlying proliferation and cell cycle control of retinal stem cells
Mouse neural stem cells cultured in a neurosphere.
Dorsal view of Xenopus embryo. The left eye is enlarged compared to the right eye upon gene transfer. Blue signal indicates a region of gene transfer. In this side, retinal progenitor cell proliferation is accelerated.
IV. Mechanisms of cilia formation using molecular genetics of zebrafish
Cilia of the inner ear in zebrafish (green).
A cilia mutant of zebrafish.
V. Generation of KO/transgenic mice and analysis of visual function of genetically engineered mice
A movie of microinjection into pronucleus of a mouse fertilized egg for generating transgenic mice (Please click it!).
We welcome graduate school students and postdocs from outside Japan to our lab. I am an adjunct professor of Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine and Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine. An applicant can apply for either or both of these graduate schools. An applicant needs to find a fellowship. We are happy to support applicants to apply for a JSPS/MEXT fellowship or other available fellowships.
For postdoc applicants;
JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowship for Foreign Researchers
URL: http://www.jsps.go.jp/j-fellow/main.htm
For graduate school applicants;
Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship
Honors Scholarships for Privately Financed Foreign Students
URL: http://www.mext.go.jp/english/abroad/foreigners/04061801.htm
We also welcome summer students or short-term visiting scientists from abroad.
If interested, please contact Dr. Furukawa by e-mail.
| Name | Takahisa Furukawa |
| Current affiliation | Osaka Bioscience Institute, Department of Developmental Biology |
| Specialties | Developmental Neurobiology, Biology & Medicine |
| Academic degree | M. D. & Ph. D. |
| 1988 | M. D. in Medical School, Osaka University |
| 1992 | Ph. D. in Medical Chemistry, Kyoto University Faculty of Medicine First isolation of a major signal transducer of Notch signal pathway. Molecular clarification of Notch signal transduction mechanism from membrane receptor to transcription in cell nucleus. |
| 1995 | Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Genetics & Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School Isolation of a novel key transcription factor, Crx, which governs the terminal differentiation of photoreceptor cells by regulating the transcription of various photoreceptor specific genes. Crx is the molecule that many researchers in this filed had been trying to identify for many years. Important finding that mutations of the human Crx gene can cause three types of retinal degeneration diseases. Identification and analysis of the functionally one of the most upstream gene, rax, in eye development. Elucidation of the mechanisms for dorsal-ventral axis formation in the eye development. |
| 1999 | Assistant Professor of Center for Developmental Biology and Biochemistry at UTSW Medical Center at Dallas Molecular description of cell fate decision of retinal glia cells by rax. Discovery of the molecular mechanism for the terminal differentiation of retinal photoreceptor cells. |
| 2001 | Lab Head of Department of Developmental Biology, Osaka Bioscience Institute |
| 2003 | Adjunct Professor of Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine |
| 2004 |
Adjunct Professor of Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine We reveled that transcription factor Otx2 is necessary and sufficient for cell fate determination of retinal photoreceptor cells by using mouse molecular genetics. Our findings demonstrated that Otx2 could functions as a master gene in the cell fate determination of photoreceptor cells. Clarification that Otx2 is a direct upstream activator of Crx transcription, indicatinged that the transcription factor network has a critical role in the development of central nervous system neurons.
Finding that the cell polarity of photoreceptor cells is essential for the normal formation of total retinal layer structure.
Establishment of cell type-specific gene targeting system in the retina.
Isolation and functional analysis of a novel extracelluar matrix protein, pikachurin. We revealed that pikachurin is a ligand for Dystroglycan and essential for synapse formation between photoreceptor and bipolar neurons. |
| 2005 | Pfizer Ophthalmics Award Japan |
| 2006 | Baelz prize |
| 2007 | Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Prize |