RIKEN-Keio Univ. Joint Research Laboratory

Tool use, language and self-consciousness are generally believed to be mediated by brain functions that are unique to human. However, their prototype could be present in non-human primates. Our human brain functions are composed of 1) evolutionarily conserved brains functions and 2) brain functions unique to primates including human, which are associated with expansion of cerebral cortex. We believe that common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus), a small New World primate, could be an appropriate primate model animal to unveil the latter functions. Common marmoset shares with humans, not merely biological features but also higher brain functions including perception, cognition, as well as social abilities. Furthermore, because of its size, availability, and unique biological characteristics, common marmoset has attracted considerable attention as a potentially useful biomedical research animal in fields such as neuroscience, stem cell research, drug toxicology, immunity and autoimmune diseases, and reproductive biology. Marmosets have a relatively short gestation period (about 144 days), reach sexual maturity at 12-18 months, and females have 40-80 offspring during their life. Therefore, the application of transgenic techniques to marmosets may be feasible, and would greatly facilitate the study of higher brain functions and human diseases. Recently, we could develop transgenic common marmosets with germline transmission (Sasaki et al., Nature, 2009). We believe that developing transgenic reporter animals and transgenic cognitive disorder models in common marmoset will be immediately informative, and perhaps allow us to address discrete questions regarding neurobiological bases of human-intellectual function including the mechanism of expansion of cerebral cortex.

Publications

1. Mashiko H, Yoshida AC, Kikuchi SS, Niimi K, Takahashi E, Aruga J, Okano H and Shimogori T.:
   "Comparative anatomy of marmoset and mouse cortex from genomic expression."
   The Journal of Neuroscience, April 11, 32(15):5039-5053 (2012)
2. Hikishima K, Sawada K, Murayama AY, Komaki Y, Kawai K, Sato N, Inoue T, Itoh T, Momoshima S, Iriki A, Okano HJ, Sasaki E, Okano H.:
   "Atlas of the developing brain of the marmoset monkey constructed using magnetic resonance histology."
   Neuroscience 230(2013)102-113 29 January (2013)
3. Konomi T, Fujiyoshi K, Hikishima K, Komaki Y, Tsuji O, Okano HJ, Toyama Y, Okano H, Nakamura, M.:
   "Conditions for quantitative evaluation of injured spinal cord by in-vivo diffusion tensor imaging and tractography:Preclinical longitudinal study in common marmosets."
   Neuroimage, December, 63(4):1841-1853 (2012)
4. Okano H, Hikishima K, Iriki A, Sasaki E.:
   "The common marmoset as a novel animal model system for biomedical and neuroscience research applications."
   Semin Fetal Neonatal Med., Dec;17(6)336-40 (2012)
5. Kelava I, Reillo I, Murayama AY, Kalinka AT, Stenzel D, Tomancak P, Matsuzaki F, Lebrand C, Sasaki E, Schwamborn JC, Okano H, Huttner WB, Borrell V.:
   "Abundant occurrence of basal radial glia in the subventricular zone of embryonic neocortex of a Lissencephalic Primate, the Common Marmoset Callithrix jacchus."
   Cereb Cortex. 2012 Feb.22(2):469-481 (2012)
6. *Hara-Miyauchi C, Tsuji O, Hanyu A, Okada S, Yasuda A, Fukano T, Akazawa C, Nakamura M, Imamura T, Matsuzaki Y, Okano HJ, Miyawaki A and Okano H.:
   "Bioluminescent system for dynamic imaging of cell and animal behavior."
   Biochem Biophys Res Commun. Mar 9;419(2):188-93. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2012.01.141.(2012)
7. Lin ZY, Imamura M, Sano C, Nakajima R, Suzuki T, Yamadera R, Takehara Y, Okano HJ, Sasaki E, Okano H.:
   "Molecular signatures to define spermatogenic cells in common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus)."
   Reproduction. May;143(5):597-609. doi: 10.1530/REP-11-0215.(2012)
8. Tomioka I, Maeda T, Shimada H, Kawai K, Okada Y, Igarashi H, Oiwa R, Iwasaki T, Aoki M, Kimura T, Shiozawa S, Shinohara H, Kuronuma H, Yagihashi C, Suemizu H, Sasaki E, Okano H:.
   "Generating Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells from Common Marmoset (Callithrix jacchus)"
   Fetal Liver Cells Using Defined Factors Including Lin28. Genes to Cells.Sep.1; 15(9):959-969 (2010)
9. Hikishima K, Quallo MM, Komaki Y, Yamada M, Kawai K, Momoshima S, Okano HJ, Sasaki E, Tamaoki N, Lemon RN, Iriki A, Okano,H.:
   "Population-Averaged Standard Template Brain Atlas for Common Marmoset (Callithrix jacchus)."
   NeuroImage.:Feb.14; 54(4):2741-2749 (2011)
10. Sawamoto K, Hirota Y, Alfaro-Cervello C, Soriano-Navarro M, He X, Hayakawa-Yano Y, Yamada M, Hikishima K, Tabata H, Iwanami A, Nakajima K, Toyama Y, Itoh T, Alvarez-Buylla A, Garcia-Verdugo JM, and Okano H
    "Cellular composition and organization of the subventricular zone and rostral migratory stream in the adult and neonatal common marmoset brain."
    J. Comp. Neurol. Mar 1; 519(4):690-713 (2011)