TEL. 03-3353-8111
〒162-8666 8-1, Kawada-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
We are conducting lectures and practical training in gross anatomy.
Anatomy is the study of the complex and exquisite structure of the human body, and we strive to convey its beauty, wonder, fascination, and preciousness. In the second semester of the first year (Segment 2), students learn basic anatomy including osteology, and in the first semester of the second year (Segment 3), students learn more applied structure of the whole human body, focusing on anatomy practice. We conduct anatomy education under the consciousness of being an opportunity to train consciousness and responsibility as a physician through the use of the donated cadavers, while training the basic attitude of natural science which learns from the real objects, not as a practice to acquire mere knowledge.
n addition, we conduct research on neuronal morphology and function using the retina and hippocampus as models of the two central nervous regions. Specifically, we are elucidating the regulatory mechanism of retinal photoreceptor cell differentiation and also developing a method to regenerate photoreceptor cells using retinal stem cells. We are also aiming to elucidate the mechanism of memory by investigating the neural connections in the hippocampal region of the cerebral cortex in detail using genetic engineering techniques with viral vectors.
1st Grade: We conduct Segment 2, "Entire Human Body Structure (Skeletal System), consisting of lectures and practical osteological training on systematic anatomy (musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and nervous systems).
2nd Grade: We conduct segment 3: "Human Body Structure" consisting of lectures on local anatomy and practical training in human anatomy. Also, a tutorial project (central theme: Normal Structure of the Human Body) is to be conducted.
3rd Grade: We conduct lectures on the morphology of the central nervous system and practical training (brain practice) in segment 6 "The Brain and Nervous System I".
The retina is a part of the central nervous system and is composed mainly of six types of neurons and Müller glia, but the mechanisms of cell fate determination and differentiation control have not yet been fully elucidated. We are researching the molecular mechanisms that regulate the production, survival, and differentiation of photoreceptor cells out of the cells that make up the retina, especially those that sense light. In addition, we are searching for ways to activate retinal regeneration by focusing on the phenomenon in which Müller cells, which are glia of the retina, are dedifferentiated upon photoreceptor degeneration and redifferentiated into photoreceptor cells.
The hippocampus and surrounding brain regions in the temporal lobe of the brain are known to be important for the formation of memory and learning, as well as important lesion sites in epilepsy and Alzheimer's disease. However, the details of the neural circuits connecting the hippocampus and its surrounding brain regions are still unknown. Using rats as a basic model, we have been investigating the neural connections in the peri-hippocampal region by injecting various tracers into the brain and identifying the location of labeled cell bodies or nerve endings on serial sections. Furthermore, we are also investigating the connections between the hippocampus and surrounding brain regions in animals such as rabbits and marmosets, in which the limbic system is relatively well-developed. This approach reveals the basic neural circuitry involved in memory at the "cell population" level, while injecting a viral vector containing the GFP gene into the rat brain and visualizing all axonal branches of a single neuron to the end reveals the connections at the level of individual neurons that constitute the hippocampus and surrounding brain regions. This technique is also revealing the connections at the level of individual neurons that make up the hippocampus and surrounding brain regions.
Hiroki Fujieda
Yoshiko Honda
Research Achievements Database
〒162-8666
8-1, Kawada-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
TEL +81-3-3353-8111