Graduate School of Medicine „ Human Science
„ Physiology

Professor: Toshio OHHASHI
Associate Professor: Yoshiko KAWAI
Assistant Professor: Takashi NAGAI, Kumiko AJIMA

Summary of Activity
Department of Physiology, Shinshu University School of Medicine was founded in 1946 by Professor Utarou Wagou. Then the late Professor Takehiko Azuma, one of the outstanding teachers of hemodynamics in Japan, assumed the directorship of the Department in 1966. Succeeds Dr. Azuma's position, now Head and Professor in the Department is Professor Toshio Ohhashi (1985 ` present). In our laboratory, we are mainly conducting research on circulatory physiology especially on microcirculatory physiology and lymphology. The specific current research interests are as follows:


Research Projects
* Circulatory and respiratory physiology: Establishment of human pulmonary arteriolar endothelial cells. Biological properties of the cells.
* Microcirculatory physiology:
* Lymphology: Molecular changes in microenvironment of sentinel lymph node with special reference to evaluation of micrometastasis. Mechanisms of lymph formation, lymph transport and lymphatic permeability. Regulation of lymphangiogenesis in the initial lymphatics and recanalization in the collecting lymphatics.
* Health science: Regulatory mechanisms of perspiration.

References
  1. Kawai Y, Yokoyama Y, Kaidoh M, Ohhashi T. Shear stress-induced ATP-mediated endothelial constitutive nitric oxide synthase expression in human lymphatic endothelial cells. Am. J. Physiol. 298: C647-C655, 2010.

  2. Song H, Suehiro J, Kanki Y, Kawai Y, Inoue K, Daida H, Yano K, Ohhashi T, Oettgen P, Aird WC, Kodama T, Minami T. Critical role for GATA3 in mediating Tie2 expression and function in large vessel endothelial cells. J. Biol. Chem. 284(42): 29109-29124, 2009.

  3. Kawai Y, Kaidoh M, Yokoyama Y, Sano K, Ohhashi T. Chemokine CCL2 facilitates ICAM-1-mediated interactions of cancer cells and lymphatic endothelial cells in sentinel lymph nodes. Cancer Sci. 100(3): 419-428, 2009.

  4. Kawai Y, Ohhashi T. Topics of physiological and pathophysiological functions of lymphatics. Curr.Mol.Med. 9(8): 942-953, 2009.

  5. Ikomi F, Kawai Y, Nakayama J, Ogiwara N, Sasaki K, Mizuno R, Ohhashi T. Critical roles of VEGF-C-VEGF receptor 3 in reconnection of the collectinglymph vessels in mice. Microcirculation 15(7): 591-603, 2008.

  6. Koyama H, Kobayashi N, Harada M, Takeoka M, Kawai Y, Sano K, Fujimori M, Amano J, Ohhashi T, Kannagi R, Kimata K, Taniguchi S, Itano N. Significance of tumor-associated stroma in promotion of intratumoral lymphangiogenesis: pivotal role of a hyaluronan-rich tumor microenvironment. Am. J. Pathol. 172: 179-193, 2008.

  7. Kawai Y, Hosaka K, Kaidoh M, Minami T, Kodama T, Ohhashi T. Heterogeneity in immunohistochemical,genomic,and biological properties of human lymphatic endothelial cells between initial and collecting lymph vessels. Lymphat.Res.Biol. 6(1): 15-27, 2008.

  8. Nagai T, Ikomi F, Suzuki S, Ohhashi T. In situ lymph dynamic characterization through lymph nodes in rabbit hind leg : special reference to nodal inflammation. J. Physiol. Sci. 58: 123-132, 2008.

  9. Kawai Y, Minami T, Fujimori M, Hosaka K, Mizuno R, Ikomi F, Kodama T, Ohhashi T. Characterization and microarray analysis of genes in human lymphatic endothelial cells from patients with breast cancer. Lymphat. Res. Biol. 5(2): 115-126, 2007.

  10. Sakai N, Mizuno R, Ono N, Kato H, Ohhashi T. High oxygen tension constricts epineurial arterioles of the rat sciatic nerve via reactive oxygen species. Am. J. Physiol. 293(3): H1498-H1507, 2007.