Introduction of the laboratoryJapanese



Welcome to Molecular Regenerative Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine Link

[ Research Subjects ]

(1) Roles of HGF family members in organogenesis, regeneration and carcinogenesis.

(Application of HGF family genes for gene therapy)

Schemes for pleiotrophic function of HGF

Relationship of HGF family molecules and their receptors

• Structure and function of HGF and its family members in organogenesis and regeneration of organs (liver, lung, kidney, brain and other nervous tissues, blood vessel, heart, pancreas etc.).
• Application of recombinant HGF and HGF gene for acute and chronic diseases, such as liver, lung, kidney and brain diseases.
• Structure and function of HGF family members in neuronal development and regeneration (in vitro, in vivo analysis). To design novel synthetic molecule (super-HGF / novel synthetic neurotrophic factor) based on HGF family genes important for the application to varous diseases using the combination of error-prone PCR and phage display.
• Structure and function of HGF family members involved in carcinogenesis, invation and metastasis of malignant tumor. To design novel synthetic molecule (super-c-Met antagonist) based on HGF important for the application to cancer therapy using the same approach as described above.
• Structure and function of HGF family members in angiogenesis.
• Molecular cloning and analysis of genes involved in organogenesis cascade (HGF and HGF cascade molecules).

Schematic Figures:

(A) HGF as a intrinsic repair factor	(B) HGFas a mitogen
(C) HGF as a motogen	(D) HGF as an organogenesisi factor
(E) HGF as an anti-apoptotic factor	(F) information of c-Met genome

(2) Roles of NK4 in invasion and metastasis

Schematic Figures:

(I) Structure of NK4	(II) Function of NK4
(III) NK4 is a new therapeutic agent for cancer

(3) LIM-kinases

• Analysis of the structure and function of LIM-kinases（using mouse and xenopus system).
• Molecular cloning and analysis of the binding molecules to LIM-kinases using yeast two-hybrid approach.
• Analysis of LIM-kinases as protein kinases (purification, molecular analysis and molecular cloning of LIM-kinase cascade molecules).

(4) Structure and function of novel brain-specific receptor tyrosine kinase " sky ".

• Trophic and guidance roles of these molecules analyzed in vitro and in vivo using molecular neurobiological techniques.
• Molecular cloning and characterization of novel sky family genes
• Analysis of the intracellular cascade by generating chimeric molecules (tetracyclin-regulatory system is utilized)

(5) (a) Molecular cloning and analysis of novel genes（Kremen, SR-CL etc.）

（especially genes involved in organogenesis and/or involved in the establishment and re-establishment of neural networks）

(b) To design novel systhetic functional genes（designing of super-HGF, super-NK4 / synthetic neurotrophic factors and anti-cancer agents）

(Generation of chimeric molecules, usage of error-prone PCR and phage display method to accomplish the above purpose)

[ publications ]

[ COE Home Page] Center of Excellence in Japan home page with schematic pictures of the projects. Sorry but only Japanese is available

　Home page of Molecular Regenerative Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine