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Laboratory for Sensory Development
Raj LADHER
Senior Investigator
Raj LADHER (Ph.D.)
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Research Areas

A common theme in organogenesis, perhaps the most important, is the use of localized activities of molecules to direct development. This regionalization continues throughout development orchestrating the proper development of organs, coordinating not only the correct location of the organ but also allowing integration of the organ with structures required for correct function. One example is the initiation of the inner ear. The otic placode, the precursor of the inner ear, is induced as a result of the localized action of a newly cloned member of the chick fibroblast growth factor family, fgf-19 in the cephalic paraxial mesoderm of the chick embryo; however, fgf-19 is inhibitory to later differentiation. The development of the ear provides an ideal model system, whereby the molecular mechanisms and tissue interactions governing the induction, differentiation and integration (the mechanisms by which organ development is coordinated with the development of 'ancillary' structures that are required for proper function) can be studied.

Research Subject

  1. What are the steps in making a fully functioning organ?
  2. What do these steps do?
  3. How are organs developmentally integrated to form a organ system?

Related links

  1. RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology Website_Laboratories PageNew Window
  2. Individual Website Laboratory PageNew Window

List of Selected Publications

  1. Ladher R. K.:
    "Squeezing into differentiation"
    Dev. Cell (2011) 21, 607-608
  2. Nagai H, Mak SS, Weng W, Nakaya Y, Ladher R, Sheng G.:
    "Embryonic development of the emu, Dromaius novaehollandiae."
    Dev. Dyn (2011) 240, 162-175
  3. Ladher RK, O'Neill P, Begbie J.:
    "From shared lineage to distinct functions: the development of the inner ear and epibranchial placodes"
    Development (2010) 137, 1777-1785
  4. Teraoka ME, Paschaki M, Muta Y, Ladher RK.:
    "Rostral paraxial mesoderm regulates refinement of the eye field through the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) pathway."
    Dev Biol. (2009) 330: 389-98.
  5. Freter S., Muta Y, Mak S.S. and Ladher R. K.:
    "Progressive restriction of otic fate: the role of FGF and Wnt in resolving inner ear potential."
    Development (2008) 135, 3415-3424
  6. Sai X. and Ladher R. K.:
    "FGF signaling regulates cytoskeletal remodeling during epithelial morphogenesis."
    Curr Biol 18, 976-81(2008)
  7. Manley, G. A. and Ladher, R. K.:
    "Phylogeny and Evolution of Ciliated Mechanoreceptors."
    The Senses: A Comprehensive Reference; Audition, vol. 3 (ed. P. Dallos and D. Oertel), pp. 1-34. San Diego: Academic Press. (2007)
  8. Ladher, R. K., Wright T.J., Moon A.M., Mansour S.L., and Schoenwolf G.C.:
    "FGF8 initiates inner ear induction in chick and mouse"
    Genes and Development,. 19 603-613 (2005).
  9. Francis-West, Ladher et al.:
    "Development of the Sensory Organs"
    Science Progress, 85, 151-173 (2002).
  10. Ladher R. et al.:
    "Identification of synergistic signals initiating inner ear development"
    Science, 290, 1965-1968 (2000).

Members

Principal Investigator

Rajesh Kumar LADHER
Senior Investigator

Members

Siu Shan MAK
Research Scientist
XiaoRui CAI
Research Scientist
Yuko MUTA
Research Scientist
Akira HONDA
Research Scientist
Tomoko KITA
Research Scientist
Paul ONEILL
Research Scientist
Stephen Daniel FREEMAN
Visiting Researcher
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