Principal Investigator: Ken-ichi Mizutani, Ph.D.

AFFILIATION: Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology,              

Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences,                  

Kobe Gakuin University

ADDRESS: 1-1-3 Minatojima, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan 6508586

POSITION: Research Professor

ORCID ID：orcid.org/0000-0002-6517-7830

2002:

Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto University: Kyoto, Japan 

completion of PhD course

2002 to 2004:

Institute for Frontier Medical Sciences, Kyoto University: Kyoto, Japan 

Postdoctoral research fellow  (Laboratory of Development and Differentiation)

2005 to 2007:

Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine: Baltimore, MD, USA

Postdoctoral reseach fellow  (Institute for Cell Engineering)

2007 to 2009:

RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology: Kobe, Japan

Research Scientist  (Laboratory of Neocortical Development)

2009 to 2012:

Institute for Brain Development and Aging, Doshisha University: Kyoto, Japan 

Specially-Appointed Associate Professor  (Laboratory of Developmental Biology)

2012 to 2017:

Graduate School of Brain Science, Doshisha University: Kyoto, Japan 

Associate Professor (PI of Laboratory of Neural Differentiation)

2017 to present:

Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kobe Gakuin University: Kobe, Japan 

Research Professor (PI of Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology)

Elucidation of physiological significance of vascular network enabling development and aging of tissues and organs.

　The blood vessels supply oxygen and nutrients to all the cells in the living body, and provide essential transport routes for collecting waste products. For these functions, blood vessel networks should be appropriately formed in each tissue. Therefore, the blood vessels are one of the earliest organs formed during the developmental process. The development of the blood vessel system promotes tissue differentiation and organ morphogenesis, allowing each organ to maintain their functions under changing metabolic conditions.

　The blood vessels have a relatively simple structure consisting of endothelial cells covering the inner layer and pericytes or smooth muscle cells surrounding the outside. However, the structure of vascular network is extremely diverse, with the blood vessels organized depending on tissues to create tissue-specific microenvironments. How are such tissue-specific vascular environments generated? Anatomical findings have accumulated on the vascular diversity. However, their molecular basis has remained unclear. In our laboratory, we have focused on the mechanisms of the coordinated developmental control of the vascular and the neural systems, highlighting how the vascular niche is utilized to control the differentiation.

[1] Watanabe C., Imaizumi T., Kawai H., Suda K., Honma Y., Ichihashi M., Ema M. & Mizutani K (CA).

Aging of the vascular system and neural diseases.

Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience 2020;12:309.

[2] Suzuki-Komabayashi M*., Yamanishi E*., Watanabe C*., Okamura M., Tabata H., Iwai R., Ajioka I., Kidoya H., Takakura N., Okamoto T., Kinoshita K., Ichihashi M., Nagata K., Ema M. & Mizutani K (CA).

Spatiotemporally dependent vascularization is differently utilized among neural progenitor subtypes during neocortical development.

Cell Reports 2019;29:1113-1129.

[3] Inoue M*., Iwai R*., Tabata H, Konno D., Suzuki-Komabayashi M., Watanabe C., Iwanari H., Mochizuki Y., Hamakubo T., Matsuzaki F., Nagata K. and  Mizutani K (CA).

Prdm16 is crucial for progression of the multipolar phase during neural differentiation of the developing neocortex.

Development 2017;144: 385-399.

[4]  Mizutani K., Yoon K., Dang L., Tokunaga A. and Gaiano N.

Differential Notch signaling distinguishes neural stem cells from intermediate progenitors.

Nature 2007;449:351-355.

[5]  Mizutani K. and Saito T.

Progenitors resume generating neurons after temporary inhibition of neurogenesis by Notch activation in the mammalian cerebral cortex.

Development 2005;132:1295-1304.

Ken-ichi Mizutani, Ph.D.

E-mail: mizutani (at)pharm.kobegakuin.ac.jp