| Department of Molecular Genetics |
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Introduction |
|
| Staff: |
|
| Kazuto Kobayashi |
(Professor) |
| Natsuki Matsushita |
(Instructor) |
| Yasunobu Yasoshma |
(Instructor) |
| Kenta Kobayashi |
(Assistant) |
| Yukiko Takano |
(Technical staff) |
| Tomoko Kobayashi |
(Researcher) |
| Hiromi Sano |
(Researcher) |
| Tetsuya Myoujin |
(Researcher) |
| Hideki Okada |
(Graduate student) |
| Kazuaki Takahashi |
(Technical staff) |
| Minako Kikuchi |
(Technical staff) |
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Research |
|
| 1) |
Study on Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms
Underlying Brain Functions:
Control of Motor, Reward, and Memory Consolidation
by Neurotransmission |
| 2) |
Development of Animal Models for Neurological
and Neuropsychiatric Disorders |
| Our purpose is to understand
the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying
mammalian brain functions, focusing on the
control of motor and reward based on the
basal ganglia, and memory consolidation
dependent on the corticolimbic neuronal
circuitry. For this purpose, we use mouse
molecular genetic approaches, which are
useful and powerful for studying the behavioral
and physiological role of gene or neuron
of interest. Moreover, advanced techniques
of mouse molecular genetics include the
immunotoxin-mediated cell targeting and
region-specific gene targeting. In addition,
these physiological studies, we aim to develop
animal models for neurological and psychiatric
disorders, such as Parkinson disease, Hungtington
disease, and schizophrenia. These animal
models are useful for elucidating the etiology
of the pathogenesis and for developing a
novel therapeutic technique and drug for
the diseases. |
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Education |
|
| Our laboratory is responsible
for three education programs for the undergraduate
course as follows. |
| 1) |
Special lecture of basic medical
science (3rd grade): In this program, basic
knowledge and information about development,
physiology, and behavior of mammals are
lectured. Also structure and function of
the gene and molecular mechanisms for gene
expression are lectured, which provide a
basis for understanding the progress of
medical science and technology. |
| 2) |
Elementary training course
of basic medical science (3rd grade): Based
upon the special lecture of basic medical
science, we instruct elementary experimental
trainings for molecular biology and genetics. |
| 3) |
Upgrade training course of
basic medical science (4th grade): Following
the elementary training course, more detailed
experimental trainings are performed for
analysis of nucleic acid/protein, manipulation
of mouse embryos, and behavioral analysis
of the animals. |
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Publications |
|
| 1. |
Kobayashi, K., and Sano, H. (2000) Dopamine
deficiency in mice. Brain Dev.,
22, S54-S60. |
| 2. |
Kobayashi, K., Noda, Y., Matsushita, N.,
Nishii, K., Sawada, H., Nagatsu, T., Nakahara,
D., Fukabori, R., Yasoshima, Y., Yamamoto,
T., Miura, M., Kano, M., Mamiya, T., Miyamoto,
Y., and Nabeshima, T. (2000) Modest neuropsychological
deficits caused by reduced noradrenaline
metabolism in mice heterozygous for a mutated
tyrosine hydroxylase gene. J. Neurosci.,
20, 2418-2426. |
| 3. |
Iwawaki, T., Kohno, K., and Kobayashi,
K. (2000) Identification of a potential
Nurr1 response element that activates the
tyrosine hydroxylase gene promoter in cultured
cells. Biochem. Biophy. Res. Commun., 274
(3), 590-595. |
| 4 |
Usukura, J., Nishizawa, Y., Shimomura,
A., Kobayashi, K., Nagatsu, T., and Hagiwara,
M. (2000) Direct imaging of phosphorylation-dependent
conformational change and DNA biding of
CREB by electron microscopy. Genes to Cells,
5, 515-522. |
| 5. |
Kobayashi, K. and Nagatsu, T. (2000) Transgenic
rescue of tyrosine hydroxylase-deficient
mice: application for generating animal
models with catecholamine dysfunction. In
Progress in Gene Therapy -Basic and Clinical
Frontiers- (ed., Bertolotti, R.) VSP, Utrecht,
pp. 267-288. |
| 6. |
Sawamoto, K., Nakao, N., Kobayashi, K.,
Matsushita, N., Takahashi, H., Kakishita,
K., Yamamoto, A., Yoshizaki, T., Terashima,
T., Murakami, F., Itakura, T., Okano, H.
(2001) Visualization, direct isolation,
and transplantation of midbrain dopaminergic
neurons. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 98
(11) 6423-6428. |
| 7. |
Kobayashi, K. and Yasoshima, Y. (2001)
The central noradrenaline system and
memory consolidation. Neuroscientist, 7,
371-375. |
| 8. |
Kobayashi, T., Kida, Y., Kaneko, T., Pastan,
I., and Kobayashi, K. (2001) Efficient ablation
by immunotoxin-mediated cell targeting of
the cell types that express human interleukin-2
receptor depending on the internal ribosome
entry site. J. Gene Med. 3, in press. |
| 9. |
Kobayashi, K. (2001) Role of catecholamine
signaling in brain and nervous system functions:
new insights from mouse molecular genetic
study. J. Invest. Dermatol. in press. |
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Detailed Information |
|
| Under construction |
|
To Contact Us |
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| kazuto@fmu.ac.jp |
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