Team Leader
Takashi Tsuji
Ph.D.
Laboratory for Organ Regeneration
LocationKobe / Developmental Biology Buildings
E-mailtakashi.tsuji[at]riken.jp
Please replace [at] with @.
Organogenesis begins with the formation of patterned developmental fields during early embryogenesis, which provide environments appropriate for the induction of specific organs. Most organs emerge from primordia induced by interactions between epithelial and mesenchymal tissue and, following organ-specific morphological changes, develop into functional structures.
Our group is working to gain a more complete understanding of the roles of epithelial-mesenchymal interactions in organ induction, development, and morphogenesis. Using technologies developed in our group for the three-dimensional (3D) control of epithelial stem cells and mesenchymal stem cells, we have generated regenerative primordia for teeth, hair follicles and endocrine tissue, such as salivary glands, and shown that these functionally integrate with surrounding tissue following transplantation into adult mice. By recapitulating organogenetic fields as seen in the early embryo to steer the self-organized formation of 3D tissue-like structures from pluripotent stem cells, such as embryonic stem cells (ESCs) or induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), we seek both to elucidate the mechanisms by which such fields induce organogenesis and to develop new technologies for use in regenerative medicine. Building on these fundamental studies, we are now working to develop technologies for uses in therapeutic organ regeneration such as next-generation tooth regeneration implants and hair follicle regeneration for alopecia.
Research Theme
- Development of organ regeneration technology by applying organ development patterns
- Development of hair follicle organ regenerative therapy
- Development of the next-generation of Bio-hybrid implant for tooth regeneration
- Research and Development of the next-generation 3D-integumentary organ system in vitro
- Analysis of mechanisms underlying organogenesis using four-dimensional cell tracking system
- Development of three-dimensional organ cultivation system in vitro
Selected Publications
Ishikawa J, Takeo M, Iwadate A, et al.
Mechanical homeostasis of liver sinusoid is involved in the initiation and termination of liver regeneration.
Communications Biology
4, 409 Wed Dec 01 00:00:00 JST 2021
doi: 10.1038/s42003-021-01936-2
Takeo M, Asakawa K, Toyoshima KE, et al.
Expansion and characterization of epithelial stem cells with potential for cyclical hair regeneration.
Scientific reports
11(1), 1173 Wed Feb 10 00:00:00 JST 2021
doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-80624-3
Kimura S, Tsuchiya A, Ogawa M, et al.
Tissue-scale tensional homeostasis in skin regulates structure and physiological function.
Communications Biology
3, 637 Tue Dec 01 00:00:00 JST 2020
doi: 10.1038/s42003-020-01365-7
Tanaka J, Ogawa M, Hojo H, et al.
Generation of orthotopically functional salivary gland from embryonic stem cells.
Nature Communications
9, 4216 Sat Dec 01 00:00:00 JST 2018
doi: 10.1038/s41467-018-06469-7
Bin BH, Bhin J, Takaishi M, et al.
Requirement of zinc transporter ZIP10 for epidermal development: Implication of the ZIP10-p63 axis in epithelial homeostasis.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
114(46), 12243-12248 Fri Dec 01 00:00:00 JST 2017
doi: 10.1073/pnas.1710726114
Takagi R, Ishimaru J, Sugawara A, et al.
Bioengineering a 3D integumentary organ system from iPS cells using an in vivo transplantation model.
Science Advances
2(4), e1500887 Thu Dec 01 00:00:00 JST 2016
doi: 10.1126/sciadv.1500887
Ozone C, Suga H, Eiraku M, et al.
Functional anterior pituitary generated in self-organizing culture of human embryonic stem cells.
Nature Communications
7, 10351 Tue Nov 01 00:00:00 JST 2016
doi: 10.1038/ncomms10351
Ogawa M, Oshima M, Imamura A, et al.
Functional salivary gland regeneration by transplantation of a bioengineered organ germ.
Nature Communications
4, 2498 Sun Dec 01 00:00:00 JST 2013
doi: 10.1038/ncomms3498
Toyoshima KE, Asakawa K, Ishibashi N, et al.
Fully functional hair follicle regeneration through the rearrangement of stem cells and their niches.
Nature Communications
3, 784 Sat Dec 01 00:00:00 JST 2012
doi: 10.1038/ncomms1784
Ikeda E, Morita R, Nakao K, et al.
Fully functional bioengineered tooth replacement as an organ replacement therapy.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
106, 13475-13480 Tue Dec 01 00:00:00 JST 2009
doi: 10.1073/pnas.0902944106
Members
Takashi Tsuji
Team Leader
Makoto Takeo
Senior Scientist
Miho Ogawa
Visiting Scientist
Etsuko Ikeda
Visiting Scientist
Masato Nakagawa
Visiting Scientist
Ayako Tsuchiya
Senior Technical Staff
Miki Takase
Technical Staff I
News
Nov. 10, 2023 Research
Unlocking the rhythms behind the growth of zigzag hair
Apr. 5, 2023 BDR News
Meetings
Organoid Symposium convenes in Kobe
Feb. 10, 2021 Research
A recipe for cyclical regeneration of bioengineered hair
Nov. 6, 2020 Research
New artificial skin functions like natural skin
Oct. 11, 2018 Research
Researchers create a functional salivary gland organoid