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Animal Functional Morphology Lab
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A lab that explores animal immune function at the level of tissues and cells.
AboutAbout the lab
Histological and cell biological research on animal immune function
The Animal Functional Morphology Lab studies how the function and form of organs involved in animal immunity are established.
Newborn livestock have immature immune systems and are exposed to the risk of infection by pathogens such as bacteria and viruses.
The lab focuses on how maternally transferred immunity is passed from mother to offspring and how the young acquire and develop their own immune function, examining immune-related organs in the mother and in offspring around weaning.
The lab aims to identify molecules involved in immune function in mothers and offspring, and to use them as targets to build a production system for livestock with enhanced immune function.
Key terms
- Maternally transferred immunity
- A mechanism by which a mother's immunity is passed to her offspring, whose immune systems are weak, through antibodies in breast milk
- Mammary gland immunity
- A mechanism by which antibody-producing cells gather in the lactating mammary gland and secrete antibodies into milk
- Fecal microbiota transplantation
- A treatment in which feces from healthy cattle are transplanted into calves with diarrhea
NewsLab news
A doctoral student received the Outstanding Presentation Award at the 134th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Animal Science
Paper published in Animals
A doctoral student received the Excellence Award at the 10th Mastitis Summer Camp
Paper published in PNAS
ResearchResearch themes
The lab investigates how the function and form of organs and tissues involved in animal immunity are established, with the aim of building immune strategies for raising healthy livestock. Its research focuses on the mammary gland, the immune organs of pigs, and the gut microbes of calves.
*Illustrative imageEstablishment of maternally transferred immunity
The mammary gland develops only during lactation. Plasma cells, which produce antibodies, gather there and secrete antibodies into milk. The lab aims to clarify how this mammary gland immunity works and the routes by which plasma cells migrate, and to develop immune strategies that improve the quality of nursing and rearing.
*Illustrative imageMorphogenesis of immune organs
Immune function begins to develop during the fetal period, and immune organs start taking shape before birth. Using pigs, the lab analyzes how immune organs form and mature, with the aim of establishing treatments for intractable immunodeficiency.
*Illustrative imageDeveloping technologies to control infectious diseases in livestock
In fecal microbiota transplantation, feces from healthy cattle are transplanted into calves with diarrhea. The lab verifies its therapeutic effectiveness and analyzes its mechanism of action. The aim is to lay the foundation for new veterinary technologies that can be used at production sites.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Animal Functional Morphology Lab consist of faculty, visiting researchers, and doctoral, master's, and undergraduate students.As of 2026
- ProfessorTomonori Nochi
- Assistant ProfessorMutsumi Furukawa
- Distinguished Associate ProfessorJahidul Islam
- Project Assistant ProfessorRyota Hirakawa
- Assistant ProfessorAndi Hiroyuki
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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: “Cows and calves in the project dairy barn - DPLA - c909d9085531ee0ff2c67” Rothstein, Arthur / Public domain (cropped)
- Establishment of maternally transferred immunity: “Desa Cattle Dairy Farm Milking” Bfyhdch / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Morphogenesis of immune organs: “Sow and piglets at Holmbush Farm, Colgate, West Sussex - geograph.org.uk - 391554” Andy Potter / CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped)
- Developing technologies to control infectious diseases in livestock: “Cattle and calves, Stream Farm - geograph.org.uk - 1833584” Derek Harper / CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Animal Reproductive Science Lab): “Human sperm under microscope” Prof. Ideal / CC0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Crop Science Lab): “Wheat field - geograph.org.uk - 216367” Richard Webb / CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Plant Pathology Lab): “Cucumber mosaic virus symptoms” William M. Brown Jr. / CC BY 3.0 us (cropped)
- Related lab (Marine Life Genetic Information Lab): “FMIB 41451 Interior of fish hatchery” 作者不詳 / Public domain (cropped)
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