Four-Dimensional Tissue Analysis Unit

Recent advance of stem cell technology have enabled the generation of various medically useful cell types from ES and iPS cells, including neurons, photoreceptors, cardiac muscles and so on. However, these cells mimic in vivo functions only to limited extents when cultured alone on culture dishes. Four-dimensional tissue analysis unit aims at a new dimension of cell technology for more real in vitro recapitulation, that is, three-dimensional tissue formation from stem cells. To this end, we establish efficient three-dimensional culture of ES cell-derived brain and retinal tissues, and also develop new cutting-edge live imaging technology and related optic devices for four-dimensional analysis of relatively large tissues. We also support and collaborate with CDB and non-CDB users of these optics.

Research Subjects

• 3D culture of stem cells
• Tissue formation analysis in 3D culture
• Technology development for studies above

Publications

1. Eiraku, M., Adachi, T. and Sasai, Y.:
   "Relaxation-Expansion Model for Self-Driven Retinal Morphogenesis."
   BioEssays 34, doi: 10.1002/bies.201100070. [Epub ahead of print]. (2012)
2. Eiraku, M., Takata, N., Ishibashi, H., Kawada, M., Sakakura, E., Okuda, S., Sekiguchi, K., Adachi, T. and Sasai, Y.:
   "Self-organizing optic-cup morphogenesis in three-dimensional culture."
   Nature 472, 51-56.(2011)
3. Danjo, T., Eiraku, M., Muguruma, K., Watanabe, K., Kawada, M., Yanagawa, Y., John L.R. Rubenstein., Sasai, Y.:
   "Subregional specification of ES cell-derived ventral telencephalic tissues by timed and combinatory treatment with extrinsic signals."
   J. Neurosci. 31, 1919-1933 (2011)
4. Eiraku, M., Watanabe, K., Matsuo-Takasaki, M., Kawada, M., Yonemura, S., Matsumura, M., Wataya, T., Nishiyama, A., Muguruma, K., Sasai, Y.:
   "Self-Organized Formation of Polarized Cortical Tissues from ES cells and its Active Manipulation by Extrinsic Signals."
   Cell Stem Cell. 3, 519-532 (2008)