Laboratory for Lung Development

The organs of the body all play critical functional roles, which are made possible by the arrangement of differentiated cells into the structures specific to that organ. Such structures are formed throughout development, with the late embryonic and immediate postnatal periods being particularly important for the functional maturation of organ systems. Defects that arise during these organogenetic processes are closely linked to a wide range of diseases, while after birth the body is constantly exposed to potentially damaging environmental stresses. The adult body does manifest a certain degree of regenerative ability, although this is by no means complete. To study organ formation, repair and regeneration, we have focused our research on the respiratory system in mouse. We focus on issues of how tissue morphology influences the formation of stem cell niches in the development, repair and regeneration of respiratory organs, as well as mechanisms regulating cell proliferation and differentiation in developmental and regenerative processes.

Research Fields

Biology & Biochemistry / Molecular Biology & Genetics

Research Subjects

• Analysing molecular mechanisms for cellular patternings of the the conducting airways during development and regeneration
• Developmental relationship between tissue structures and the stem cell niches.
• Analysing cellular differentiation programs of secretory and multi-ciliated cells.

Publications

1. Morimoto M*, Nishinakamura R, Saga Y, Kopan R.:
   "Different assemblies of Notch receptors coordinate the distribution of the major bronchial Clara, ciliated and neuroendocrine cells."
   Development 139.4365-73 (2012)
2. Morimoto M, Liu Z, Cheng HT, Winters N, Bader D, Kopan R.:
   "Canonical Notch signaling in the developing lung is required for determination of arterial smooth muscle cells and selection of Clara versus ciliated cell fate. "
   J Cell Sci 123.213-24 (2010)
3. Demehri S, Morimoto M, Farr G Andrew, and Kopan R.:
   "Skin-derived TSLP triggers progression from epidermal-barrier defects to asthma. "
   PLoS Biol 7(5).e1000067 (2009)
4. Morimoto M and Kopan R.:
   "rtTA toxicity limits the usefulness of the SP-C-rtTA transgenic mouse. "
   Developmental Biology 325.171-8 (2009)
5. Morimoto M, Sasaki N, Oginuma M, Kiso M, Igarashi K, Aizaki K, Kanno J, Saga Y.:
   "The negative regulation of Mesp2 by mouse Ripply2 is required to establish the rostro-caudal patterning within a somite."
   Development 134.1561-9 (2007)
6. Morimoto M, Kiso M, Sasaki N, Saga Y.:
   "Cooperative Mesp activity is required for normal somitogenesis along the anterior-posterior axis."
   Developmental Biology 300.687-98 (2006)
7. Nakajima Y, Morimoto M, Takahashi Y, Koseki H, Saga Y.:
   "Identification of Epha4 enhancer required for segmental expression and the regulation by Mesp2."
   Development 133.2517-25 (2006)
8. Morimoto M,Takahashi Y, Endo M, Saga Y.:
   "The Mesp2 transcription factor establishes segmental borders by suppressing Notch activity."
   Nature 435.354-9 (2005)