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Reproductive Biology Lab
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A lab that uses Drosophila to tackle the mysteries of germ cells, which carry life forward.
AboutAbout the lab
Unraveling the mysteries of germ cells that carry life forward.
The Reproductive Biology group (Kai Group) uses Drosophila to study the mechanisms of germ cells, which carry life forward beyond the life and death of the individual.
The group aims to elucidate how germline stem cells are maintained, how they mature into eggs and sperm, and how the genome is kept stable by non-coding RNAs, including piRNAs.
The Usui Group in the same division studies the neural mechanisms that regulate nociceptive escape behavior in Drosophila larvae.
Prof. Kai also holds a concurrent appointment in the Graduate School of Science and teaches in the Faculty of Science, so undergraduates can also carry out their graduation research in the lab.
Key terms
- piRNA
- Small RNAs produced especially in the germline. They suppress transposons, parasitic genetic elements within the genome, and thereby protect the genome
- Niche
- The tiny surrounding microenvironment that keeps stem cells as stem cells
- Nuage
- A structure inside the cell, not enclosed by a membrane (a membraneless organelle), where piRNAs are produced
NewsLab news
View More ↗ResearchResearch themes
Higher animals cannot escape death as individuals, but they produce the next generation through sexual reproduction and sustain their species. Using Drosophila, this division studies the mechanisms of germ cells, which produce the next generation, and the neural mechanisms that regulate behavior.
Germline Stem Cells and piRNAs That Protect the Genome
The lab studies the regulation of male and female germline stem cells maintained in the microenvironment called the niche in the ovary and testis, and the molecular mechanisms of their maturation into eggs and sperm. It also focuses on the production and function of piRNAs, small RNAs that act in the germline, and studies the nuage, a membraneless organelle where piRNAs are produced, using genetics, cell biology, bioinformatics, and structure prediction with AlphaFold.
Neural Mechanisms of Escaping from Pain
By comparing the escape behavior of larvae from many wild-type Drosophila strains, the lab identified candidate genes involved and is focusing on a new gene, bero (belly roll), which suppresses escape behavior. The lab thinks that bero is involved in regulating escape behavior by suppressing responses to nociception in specific neurons (ABLK neurons), and is testing the hypothesis that nociceptive signal transmission is regulated by the internal state of the body (Usui Group).
MembersFaculty
- ProfessorToshie Kai
- Program-Specific Associate ProfessorTaichiro Iki
- LecturerTadao Usui
- Program-Specific LecturerShinichi Kawaguchi
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