Laboratory for Neurobiology of Synapse
Laboratory Head
Yoshihiro YOSHIHARA (Ph.D.)
Information transfer between neurons takes place at the synapse. The wiring pattern among various types of neurons via specific synaptic connections is the basis of functional logic employed by the brain for information processing. Thus, detailed knowledge of neuronal networks is essential for understanding the wide range of brain functions. With special reference to the mouse and zebrafish olfactory system, we aim to elucidate the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the formation, maintenance, and plasticity of functional neural circuits. We will also focus on the identification and characterization of functional molecules involved in cell-cell interactions at the synapses in both the developing and mature brains.
- Development and functional architecture of the olfactory system
- Cell recognition/adhrsion molecules in neural development
- June 02, 2009
- Identifying the olfactory neuronal circuit responsible for appetizing smells; zebra fish are found to have a special fondness for amino acids.
- April 15, 2009
- Elucidating the existence of bilaterally unsymmetrical neuronal networks in olfactory neurons, suggesting a close relationship between olfaction and emotion exemplified by the like/dislike of odors
- March 27, 2008
- Without BIG-2, odor maps stink
- May 30, 2007
- Neurobiology of Synapse of BSI identified a gene essential for the development of the neural linkage between nasal olfactory neurons and the brain.
- Mitsui, S., Igarashi, K. M., Mori, K., Yoshihara, Y.:
"Genetic visualization of the secondary olfactory pathway in Tbx21 transgenic mice"
Neural Systems & Circuits, in press (2011). - Koide, T., Miyasaka, N., Morimoto, K., Asakawa, A., Urasaki, A., Kawakami, K., Yoshihara, Y.:
"Olfactory neural circuitry for attraction to amino acids revealed by transposon-mediated gene trap approach in zebrafish"
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 106, 9884-9889 (2009). - Miyasaka, N., Morimoto, K., Tsubokawa, T., Higashijima, S., Okamoto, H., Yoshihara, Y.:
"From the olfactory bulb to higher brain centers: genetic visualization of secondary olfactory pathways in zebrafish"
J. Neurosci., 29, 4756-4767 (2009). - Yoshihara, Y., Roo, M., Muller, D.:
"Dendritic spine formation and stabilization"
Curr Opin Neurobiol., 19, 146-153 (2009). - Kaneko-Goto, T., Yoshihara, S., Miyazaki, H., Yoshihara, Y.:
"BIG-2 mediates olfactory axon convergence to target glomeruli"
Neuron, 57, 834-846 (2008). - Furutani, Y., Matsuno, H., Kawasaki, M., Sasaki, T., Mori, K., Yoshihara, Y.:
"Interaction between telencephalin and ERM family proteins mediates dendritic filopodia formation"
J. Neurosci., 27, 8866-8876 (2007). - Miyasaka, N., Knaut, H., Yoshihara, Y.:
"Cxcl12/Cxcr4 chemokine signaling is required for placode assembly and sensory axon pathfinding in the zebrafish olfactory system"
Development, 134, 2459-2468 (2007). - Sato, Y., Miyasaka, N., Yoshihara, Y.:
"Hierarchical regulation of odorant receptor gene choice and subsequent axonal projection of olfactory sensory neurons in zebrafish"
J. Neurosci., 27, 1606-1615 (2007). - Matsuno, H., Okabe, S., Mishina, M., Yanagida, T., Mori, K., Yoshihara, Y.:
"Telencephalin slows spine maturation"
J. Neurosci., 26, 1776-1786 (2006). - Sato, Y., Miyasaka, N., Yoshihara, Y.:
"Mutually exclusive glomerular innervation by two distinct types of olfactory sensory neurons revealed in transgenic zebrafish"
J. Neurosci., 25, 4889-4897 (2005).
Principal Investigator
- Yoshihiro YOSHIHARA
- Laboratory Head
Members
- Nobuhiko MIYASAKA
- Deputy Laboratory Head
- Yutaka FURUTANI
- Research Scientist
- Tetsuya KOIDE
- Research Scientist
- Rumiko MIZUGUCHI
- Research Scientist
- Kashiko TACHIKAWA
- Research Scientist
- Yoichi YABUKI
- Junior Research Associate
- Sachiko MITSUI
- Technical Staff I
- Tomomi KANEKO-GOTO
- Technical Staff I
- Noriko WAKISAKA
- Technical Staff I
- Miwa MASUDA
- Technical Staff I
- Izumi YOSHIDA
- Assistant
- Kazushige TOUHARA
- Visiting Scientist
- Junji HIROTA
- Visiting Scientist
- Kensaku MORI
- Visiting Scientist
- Hiroyuki MIYAMOTO
- Visiting Scientist
- Masahiro YAMAGUCHI
- Visiting Scientist
- Satomi YAMASHITA
- Part-time Staff
- Kaeko SANADA
- Part-time Staff
- Chigaya ITO
- Part-time Staff