Histology and Embryology

Staff List

Summary of Activity

By using pluripotent stem cells which can give rise to almost any cell type with special function, it is possible to cure previously untreatable injuries and diseases. For instance, differentiating stem cells into specialized cells with special function and implanting them when the damaged cells cannot heal itself, or even creating a complete organ in the lab and transplanting them to replace a damaged organ. We are promoting researches about stem cells which hold promise for treating previously incurable diseases.

Research Subject

• • Development and Regeneration of Kidney
  To study the mechanisms that support the developmental competence of kidney germ tissues by using embryonic cells and tissues of experimental animals.


• • Creating Cancer Stem Cells by Reprogramming Technology
  To study the mechanism of carcinogenesis and develop therapeutic methods by reprogramming cancer cells into cancer stem cells.


• • Establishment of Disease Model with Patient Specific iPS Cells
  To elucidate the pathogenesis of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a kind of heterogeneous connective tissue disorder.


• • Functional Analysis of Epigenetic Factors in Pluripotent Stem Cells
  We are studying why various cells maintain their different state of differentiation, even though they have the same genetic information.

Outlook for Research

The promising field of Regenerative Medicine is to restore structure and function of damaged tissues and organs. It is also possible to find a way to cure aging and genetic diseases.

Major Publications

1. Hao P, Li H, Wu A, Zhang J, Wang C, Xian X, Ren Q, Hao N, Wang Y, Yue F, Cui H. (2020) Lipocalin2 promotes cell proliferation and migration in ovarian cancer through activation of the ERK/GSK3β/β-catenin signaling pathway. Life Sci 262: 118492

2. Hao P, Yue F, Xian X, Ren Q, Cui H, Wang Y. (2020) Inhibiting effect of MicroRNA-3619-5p/PSMD10 axis on liver cancer cell growth in vivo and in vitro. Life Sci 254: 117632

3. Genova E, Pelin M, Sasaki K, Fengming Y, Lanzi G, Masneri S, Ventura A, Stocco G, Decorti G. (2018) Induced pluripotent stem cells as a model for therapy personalization of pediatric patients: disease modeling and drug adverse effects prevention. Curr Med Chem 25(24): 2826-2839

4. Yue F, Hirashima K, Tomotsune D, Takizawa-Shirasawa S, Yokoyama T, Sasaki K. (2017) Reprogramming of retinoblastoma cancer cells into cancer stem cells. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 482(4): 549-555

5. Tomotsune D, Hirashima K, Fujii M, Yue F, Matsumoto K, Takizawa-Shirasawa S, Yokoyama T, Sasaki K. (2016) Enrichment of pluripotent stem cell-derived hepatocyte-like cells by ammonia treatment. PLOS ONE 11(9): e0162693

6. Mogi A, Takei S, Shimizu H, Miura H, Tomotsune D, Sasaki K. (2014) Effects of fluid dynamic forces created by rotary orbital suspension culture on cardiomyogenic differentiation of human embryonic stem cells. J Med Eng 34(2): 101-108

7. Rosines E, Johkura K*, Zhang X, Schmidt HJ, Decambre M, Bush KT, Nigam S. (2010) Constructing kidney-like tissues from cells based on programs for organ development: towards a method of in vitro engineering of the kidney. Tissue Eng Part A 16(8): 2441-2455 (*co-first author)

8. Takei S, Ichikawa H, Johkura K*, Mogi A, No H, Yoshie S, Tomotsune D, Sasaki K. (2009) Bone morphogenetic protein-4 promotes induction of cardiomyocytes from human embryonic stem cells in serum-based embryoid body development. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 296: H1793–H1803 (*corresponding author)

9. Rosines E, Sampogna RV, Johkura K, Vaughn DA, Choi Y, Sakurai H, Shah MM, Nigam SK. (2007) Staged in vitro reconstitution and implantation of engineered rat kidney tissue. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 104: 20938-20943

10. Yue F, Cui L, Johkura K, Ogiwara N, Sasaki K. (2006) Induction of midbrain dopaminergic neurons from primate embryonic stem cells by coculture with sertoli cells. Stem Cells 24(7): 1695-1706