Tohoku University · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
Professor Noriko Osumi's research lab focuses on the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying neural development, particularly the roles of transcription factors like Pax6 in neurogenesis and cortical patterning. Her work explores how key regulators control neural stem/progenitor cell behavior during embryonic and postnatal stages, with a strong emphasis on the specification, migration, and differentiation of neurons in the mammalian and avian pallium. The lab also investigates the influence of signaling molecules such as retinoic acid and polyunsaturated fatty acids (e.g., ARA and DHA) on neural development and neurogenic potential. These studies contribute to understanding the evolutionary and developmental basis of laminated brain structures, especially the neocortex.
Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.
Pax6 is a highly conserved transcription factor among vertebrates and is important in various developmental processes in the central nervous system (CNS), including patterning of the neural tube, migration of neurons, and formation of neural circuits. In this review, we focus on the role of Pax6 in embryonic and postnatal neurogenesis, namely, production of new neurons from neural stem/progenitor cells, because Pax6 is intensely expressed in these cells from the initial stage of CNS development
Pax-6 is a member of the vertebrate Pax gene family, which is structurally related to the Drosophila pair-rule gene, paired. In mammals, Pax-6 is expressed in several discrete domains of the developing CNS and has been implicated in neural development, although its precise role remains elusive. We found a novel Small eye rat strain (rSey2) with phenotypes similar to mouse and rat Small eye. Analyses of the Pax-6 gene revealed one base (C) insertion in an exon encoding the region downstream of th
The mammalian neocortex is characterized as a six-layered laminar structure, in which distinct types of pyramidal neurons are distributed coordinately during embryogenesis. In contrast, no other vertebrate class possesses a brain region that is strictly analogous to the neocortical structure. Although it is widely accepted that the pallium, a dorsal forebrain region, is specified in all vertebrate species, little is known of the differential mechanisms underlying laminated or non-laminated struc
Retinoic acid (RA) is known as a teratogen that induces abnormalities in facial structures which are made up mainly of neural crest-derived mesenchyme. We investigated expression patterns of RA receptor (RAR) genes (subtypes alpha, beta, gamma) during mouse facial development. The expression of the RAR beta gene is specific for the mesenchyme around developing eyes and nose, whereas the RAR gamma gene is expressed in the mesenchyme differentiating to facial cartilages and bones. In contrast, the
Arachidonic acid (ARA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which are the dominant polyunsaturated fatty acids in the brain, have crucial roles in brain development and function. Recent studies have shown that ARA and DHA promote postnatal neurogenesis. However, the direct effects of ARA on neural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs) and the effects of ARA and DHA on NSPCs at the neurogenic and subsequent gliogenic stages are still unknown. Here, we analyzed the effects of ARA and DHA on neurogenesis, speci
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