Tokyo Women's Medical University

School of Medicine

Human Pathology & Pathological Neuroscience

Overview

The Department of Pathology (Pathological Neuroscience) is working to solve problems that emerge through clinical medicine and human pathology (surgical pathology and pathological autopsy) by using human materials, experimental animals, and cultured cells, with the major goal of obtaining molecular cytopathological information that will lead to the elucidation of pathological conditions and therapeutic strategies. For this reason, all M.D. staff members work concurrently with the Pathology Department, continually cultivating a way of thinking rooted in surgical pathology and pathologic autopsy. In other words, the experimental pathology that we are engaged in is positioned as translational research and basic research that leads to translational research with an awareness of feedback to medical practice.

Education Details

►S2:Regulation and abnormalities of the cell cycle, neuron-glia interactions
►S3:Etiology and pathogenesis
►S5:Basic and medical expression techniques, How to make a presentation at conferences
►S6: Cytopathology of neurons and glia, pathology of neurodegenerative diseases, pathology of nervous system infections, pathology of central nervous system malformations, pathology of cerebrovascular disorders, brain tumor pathology each, pathology of motor organs, pathology of visual organs, pathology of otorhinolaryngological field, research projects (conference presentation experience)
►S8:Basic clinical practice, CPC
►S9:Practical training in elective department
►S10:Supplementary lecture

Research Details

►Atsushi Kurata (Professor and Director of Core Fields): The goal is to elucidate the contribution of intimal smooth muscle dedifferentiation in the destabilization of atherosclerotic plaques, and to use this information for the prevention and treatment of myocardial infarction and cerebral infarction. In addition, we aim to contribute to regenerative medicine by inducing differentiation of pluripotent stem cell-derived teratomas.
►Tomoko Yamamoto (Associate Professor): We are analyzing the possible multifunction of Fukutin, the gene responsible for Fukuyama-type congenital muscular dystrophy, especially on neurons and astrocytes, using human materials, experimental animals and cultured cells.
►Hirotsugu Hashimoto (Associate Professor): Hemangiomas of the lung have been considered rare; since we report the clinicopathologic features of SPCH in 2016 at first, similar reports with larger number of cases have been published, especially in East Asia. However, the epidemiology and molecular pathology of SPCH have not been fully analyzed. We are now conducting a Sanger sequence to confirm the genetic mutations and to elucidate the pathogenesis mechanism of the disease, targeting the genetic mutations frequently observed in hemangiomas in other organs.
►Mayu Hakozaki (Assistant Professor): Abnormal aggregation process of amyloid β (Aβ) and its clearance mechanism in Alzheimer’s disease (AD)
The pathological change of AD is characterized by senile plaques (deposition of Aβ outside of neurons) and neurofibrillary tangles (intracellular aggregates of hyperphosphorylated tau protein), followed by massive neuronal loss. Based on several genetic and pathological studies, the widely accepted amyloid hypothesis postulates that Aβ accumulation in the brain is the trigger of a pathological cascade leading to AD. We aim to elucidate the abnormal aggregation process of Aβ by characterization of seed Aβ species that initiate and expand β-amyloidosis in vivo and by identification of anatomical clearance pathways of Aβ using autopsied brain samples. These approaches might provide new therapeutic strategy for AD.
►Yuu Arimasu (Assistant Professor): Metastatic capacity of thyroid cancer cells
In thyroid cancer, two point mutations in the promoter region of the TERT gene (C228T and C250T) are well known. Additionally, a single nucleotide polymorphism (rSNP) called rs2853669 is known to exist downstream of these mutations. Previous studies in other tumors have reported that the presence of rs2853669 is associated with increased expression of TERT mRNA. In a previous study of 58 cases of papillary thyroid carcinoma, we found a significant correlation between the presence of rs2853669 and tumor size. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we aim to explore candidate factors involved in tumor size enlargement and investigate their molecular functions.
►Motoko Niida (Adjunct Lecturer): We are analyzing the mechanism of adult brain neuronal cell renewal using Smad4-conditional knockout mice and primary culture systems.

Faculty

Professor and Division head Atsushi KURATA
Visiting Professor Kenta MASUI
Visiting Professor (Invited) Shuji OGINO
Associate Professor Hirotsugu HASHIMOTO
Associate Professor Tomoko YAMAMOTO

Graduate School

►Relationship between atherosclerosis and the degree of intimal smooth muscle differentiation
►Induction of differentiation of pluripotent stem cell-derived teratomas
►Surgical pathology of lung tumors
►Biological activity of the Fukutin gene product
►Molecular pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, especially amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Alzheimer's disease
►Molecular pathogenesis of thyroid cancer
►Neurogenesis of the adult brain

Related links

Research Achievements Database

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