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Lab. Nutr. Biochem. | School of Agricultureal Sciences | Nagoya University | Nagoya University COOP (Japanese)
My research
How can hepatocytes keep hepatocyte-phenotype?
Liver, a main tissue for drug metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism and lipid metabolism, is highly differentiated. Although several liver-enriched transcription factors have been cloned, none of the transcription factors so far characterized is able to trigger the liver differentiation program in non-liver cells. We have found that the primary cultured hepatocyte is good model for investigating liver-differentiation. Monolayer hepatocytes cultured under usual conditions lose liver-specific functions after plating. However, hepatocytes cultured on laminin-rich basement membrane gel show spherical shapes and keep high levels of liver-specific functions. Some liver-enriched transcription factors have been identified to be involved in the maintenance of liver-specific functions in the hepatocyte culture. Although one of our final goals is to construct an artificial liver preparation, we are now focusing our efforts on 1) cloning of novel liver-specific transcription factors, 2) determination of cis-acting elements for extracellular matrix signals and cell shape, and 3) identification of signal transduction pathways from extracellular matrix to nucleus.
Lab. Nutritional Biochemistry 
School of Agricultural Sciences
Nagoya University
My research
Hobbies
Nagoya Grampus Eight (Japanese)
Computer (Internet)