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Anatomy and Embryology Lab
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A lab that studies the synapses connecting neurons in the brain from both molecular and morphological perspectives.
AboutAbout the lab
Decoding synaptic molecules through morphology
The lab studies synapses, which connect neurons in the brain, from both molecular and morphological perspectives.
It investigates how the molecules that function at synapses are expressed, and how synaptic circuits develop and are remodeled.
In the Faculty of Medicine, the lab is in charge of courses such as gross anatomy dissection and neuroanatomy.
Key terms
- Synapse
- The site where neurons connect and pass signals to each other
- Purkinje cell
- A large neuron in the cerebellum. It is involved in motor control and receives many inputs.
- Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor
- A protein that receives acetylcholine, a substance that transmits nerve signals. It also binds nicotine.
NewsLab news
Paper on the role of mGluR1 in strengthening the "winner" synapse in the cerebellum published in PNAS
Associate Professor Yamasaki receives the Society Award at the Tohoku-Hokkaido Joint Branch Scientific Meeting of the Japanese Association of Anatomists
Paper on "compartments" of calcium stores in neurons published in J Neurosci
Paper on structural changes that strengthen selected synapses featured on the cover of J Neurosci
ResearchResearch themes
The lab examines morphologically where and how the molecules that function at synapses are arranged, aiming to clarify how synaptic circuits develop.
*Illustrative imageHow cerebellar synaptic circuits develop
Synaptic circuits in the newborn brain are excessive and heavily overlapping. Depending on how they are used, some connections are strengthened and others eliminated, producing precise circuits. Focusing on climbing fibers that connect to cerebellar Purkinje cells, the lab studies this mechanism from both molecular and morphological perspectives.
*Illustrative imageNicotine receptors and neural circuits
The lab produces specific antibodies to determine where nicotinic acetylcholine receptors are located in the brain. It also studies how neural circuits change when exposed to nicotine from developmental stages.
MembersFaculty
The lab's members consist of faculty, technical staff, administrative staff, visiting researchers, and doctoral and undergraduate students.As of 2026
- ProfessorMiwako Yamasaki
- LecturerKohtarou Konno
VoicesStudent voices
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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: “Cerebellum PurkinjeCells” Sbrandner / Public domain (cropped)
- How cerebellar synaptic circuits develop: “All that glitters in the brain” BrainsRusDC / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Nicotine receptors and neural circuits: “2bg9” Deposition authors: Unwin, N.; visualization author: User:Astrojan / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (神経生物学): “Hippocampus mossy fiber interneuron” National Institutes of Health (NIH) / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (分子生物学): “Human embryonic stem cell colony phase” Id711 at English Wikipedia / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (組織細胞学): “Z MaxProjection of MediumSpinyNeurons Gpr101Cre dtTomato” Bruttokolliko / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (細胞生理学): “FPbeachTsien” Nathan Shaner / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
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