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Nishimura Lab
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The lab investigates the mechanisms of regeneration, aging, and carcinogenesis, starting from skin stem cells.
AboutAbout the lab
Understanding regeneration and aging through stem cells.
The lab studies the mechanisms of regeneration, aging, and carcinogenesis, focusing on tissue stem cells, which are essential for maintaining tissues.
Starting from the discovery of melanocyte stem cells, which give rise to black hair, and of their niche, the lab tests its hypotheses by confirming them through direct observation.
Using skin, which can be observed in real time, as a model, the lab tracks the fate of stem cells over long periods, aiming to deepen understanding of aging in organs and in the body as a whole.
The goal is to apply these findings to overcoming intractable diseases and promoting healthy longevity.
Key terms
- Tissue stem cells
- Stem cells that reside in each tissue, such as skin or blood, and continually supply new cells
- Niche
- The environment surrounding stem cells that supports them and maintains their properties
- Melanocyte stem cells
- Stem cells that give rise to melanocytes, the pigment-producing cells that color hair and skin
- Hair follicle
- A sac-like organ in the skin that produces hair
NewsLab news
Associate Professor Shibata received the Excellent Poster Presentation Award at the 44th Aso Symposium
A student received the Best Flash Talk Award and the Best Poster Award at the 2nd UTOPIA Symposium
A student received the Best Presentation Award at the retreat of the Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Medical Science
ResearchResearch themes
The lab studies how stem cell systems work, aiming to understand tissue regeneration, aging, and carcinogenesis and to apply that understanding clinically. Using mammalian skin as a model, it seeks to uncover how stem cells determine their fate through interactions with their surrounding environment and with neighboring stem cells.
*Illustrative imageIdentifying Tissue Stem Cells
The lab identified melanocyte stem cells in hair follicles and sweat glands, and showed that those in sweat glands can be the origin of melanoma. In the epidermis, it succeeded in identifying basal cells that express COL17A1 as stem cells with high self-renewal capacity.
*Illustrative imageMechanisms of Gray Hair and Hair Loss
The lab showed that with age, melanocyte stem cells differentiate within their niche, and that the resulting depletion of stem cells causes gray hair. It also showed that in hair loss, hair follicle stem cells change their fate into epidermal cells and are depleted, causing hair follicles to shrink.
*Illustrative imageAge-Related Aging of Hair Follicles
When hair follicle stem cells lose type XVII collagen (COL17A1), they turn into epidermal cells and are shed, so the hair follicles shrink and the hairs become thinner and fall out. The lab also discovered a switch in the type of stem cell division, and is working to apply these findings to the prevention and treatment of hair loss.
*Illustrative imageObesity-Induced Aging of Hair Follicles
When young mice are fed a high-fat diet, some hair follicle stem cells differentiate into epidermal cells because of reactive oxygen species and are shed. The lab showed that if the diet continues, inflammatory signaling suppresses regeneration, stem cells are depleted, and hair loss progresses.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Nishimura Lab consist of faculty, project researchers, joint researchers, visiting researchers, dispatched researchers, staff, doctoral and master's students, and research students.As of 2026
- ProfessorEmi NishimuraPublications ↗
- Associate ProfessorTakuma ShibataPublications ↗
- Assistant ProfessorYasuaki MohriPublications ↗
- Assistant ProfessorKyosuke Asakawa
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Report an errorAbout the images
The top and research theme images are illustrative and were not taken at the lab. They are cropped from Wikimedia Commons images. Cropped CC BY-SA images are provided under the same CC BY-SA license as the original (version shown on each line).
- Top image: “Blausen 0437 HairFollicleAnatomy” BruceBlaus / CC BY 3.0 (cropped)
- Identifying Tissue Stem Cells: “Blausen 0632 Melanocyte” BruceBlaus. When using this image in external sources it can be cited as: Blausen.com staff (2014). "Medical gallery of Blausen Medical 2014". WikiJournal of Medicine 1 (2). DOI:10.15347/wjm/2014.010. ISSN . / CC BY 3.0 (cropped)
- Mechanisms of Gray Hair and Hair Loss: “Old woman of Don Puay white shirt grey hair wrinkled skin” Basile Morin / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Age-Related Aging of Hair Follicles: “Partial Norwood scale for male pattern baldness” Keministi / CC0 (cropped)
- Obesity-Induced Aging of Hair Follicles: “Histopathology of hair follicle periphery” Mikael Häggström, M.D. Author info - Reusing images- Conflicts of interest: None Mikael Häggström, M.D.Consent note: Consent from the patient or patient's relatives is regarded as redundant, because of absence of identifiable features (List of HIPAA identifiers) in the media and case information (See also HIPAA case reports guidance). / CC0 (cropped)
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