01Research overview
Elucidation of regulatory mechanisms underlying self-renewal and differentiation of stem cells
Research by the Stem Cell Therapy Division focuses on investigation of stem cell biology using the hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) as a research model.
Recent identification of a variety of stem cell sources, including embryonic and somatic (tissue-specific) stem cells, has brought about substantial progress in the field of stem cell research. The HSC represents the first stem cell for which identity and existence have been determined. Studies on HSCs have provided us with various basic concepts applicable to different types of stem cells, however many of these concepts still remain unverified.
It is important to continue our progress in basic research studies to gain further understanding and provide answers to the many important questions currently left unsolved. This research will ultimately provide valuable contributions to the fields of biological research and clinical medicine.
HSCs are capable of continuous supply of all lineages of blood cells to each individual for his or her entire life. Both self-renewal and multilineage differentiation potentials enable this task. One major advantage in HSC research lies in that established assay systems allow clonal analysis of each individual stem cell. Using a defined assay system, we can test capabilities of self-renewal and multi-lineage differentiation at single cell levels using either in vitro or in vivo assays. It is believed HSC research will eventually make important contributions to the development of safe and efficacious regenerative medicine and gene therapy.
Establishing New Technology for Stem Cell Therapy and Connecting Basic Science and Clinical Medicine.
We are working to uncover new diseases, elucidating the causes of disease and developing therapeutic modalities by connecting the knowledge and methodology of basic science such as immunology, molecular biology, cell biology and developmental engineering with clinical medicine.
01研究概要
幹細胞の自己複製および分化制御機構の解明
私たちは、主に造血幹細胞をモデルとした幹細胞生物学の研究を行っています。
近年、胚性幹細胞や（組織特異的）成体幹細胞など様々な幹細胞が同定され、幹細胞研究分野の大きな進歩をもたらしました。 造血幹細胞は、その存在や特性が明らかになった最初の幹細胞です。
造血幹細胞研究により、多様な幹細胞の解析にも応用できる基礎的な知見が得られてきましたが、いまだ不明なことが多く残されています。この疑問に答え、生物学や臨床研究への貢献を可能にするために、基礎研究を続けることは非常に重要です。
造血幹細胞は自己複製能や多分化能を併せ持ち、これによってすべての血液細胞を一生涯に渡り供給することができます。 造血幹細胞研究における大きな利点の一つは、すでにアッセイ系が確立しているため個々の造血幹細胞のクローナルな解析が可能であることです。そのため、in vitroまたはin vivoで単一造血幹細胞の自己複製能や多様な血球細胞への分化誘導を用意の検証することができます。
このように、造血幹細胞研究は、安全かつ効率的な再生医療・遺伝子治療のさらなる発展に大きく貢献すると期待されます。
