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Fields

Integrative Life Sciences :
Cooperative faculties

Research

Neuronal Cell Biology

Neuronal Cell Biology

Unraveling the Mechanisms That Determine Cellular Morphology

Cells that make up our bodies exhibit diverse morphologies depending on their functions. A key factor in determining cell shape is the microtubule network, along with motor proteins such as kinesin and dynein, which utilize microtubules as tracks. Among various cell types, neurons are particularly specialized in both shape and function, making them a suitable model for studying the mechanisms of cellular morphogenesis. Using neurons as our primary model, we have investigated how microtubules and motor proteins contribute to shaping cells. Through this research, we have also gained insights into the mechanisms underlying diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and hereditary spastic paraplegia.
 

Research Overview

Our interdisciplinary research, which employs a wide range of approaches such as the analysis of microtubule dynamics using in vitro reconstitution systems, the investigation of the mechanical properties of single kinesin molecules, cell-level analyses using cultured cells, and phenotype analysis at the organismal level using C. elegans as a mode, has been highly recognized worldwide.
URLs https://www.fris.tohoku.ac.jp/~niwa/

Faculty Members

Associate Professor NIWA Shinsuke
More
Elucidation of synapse formation mechanisms driven by axonal transport machinery
Investigation of cell morphogenesis mechanisms mediated by kinesins and microtubules
Exploration of novel molecular motor proteins