Medical Physiology
Kenichi ISHIBASHI, M.D., Ph.D., Professor
Yasuko TANAKA, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
Our laboratory studies the role of water channels (aquaporins) in human diseases. Aquaporins transport water, glycerol, urea, NO, CO2, NH3, arsenite, etc. We examine from cell cultures to AQP null mice to develop new therapeutic strategies for various diseases. We have cloned AQP3 and AQP7-AQP12. The roles of AQP7-AQP12 are poorly understood.
Our AQP11 null mice in particular have shown an interesting phenotype: polycystic kidneys (Morishita Y, et al. Disruption of aquaporin-11 produces polycystic kidneys following vacuolization of the proximal tubule. Mol. Cell. Biol. 25:7770-7779, 2005). They die neonatally due to uremia. AQP11 is localized at the endoplasmic reticulum in the proximal tubule and functions as a water channel. Curiously, cellular vacuoles develop before cyst formation. The clarification of the mechanisms for the vacuole formation will shed light on the intracellular water movement.
Our department collaborates with the Department of Nephrology at Tokyo Medical & Dental University to expand the clinical aspects of the research as well as with other hospitals.
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