LAB LOGA page on LabLog, a review site (not the lab's official page)
Animal Physiology Lab (Casco-Robles)
Machine-translated · View original
The lab investigates, from the molecular level, how newts regenerate their bodies.
AboutAbout the lab
Uncovering the mechanisms of newt regeneration at the molecular level
The Laboratory of Regenerative Physiology aims to clarify, at the molecular level, how adult newts regenerate their bodies.
The research subject is the Japanese fire-bellied newt.
Even as adults, these newts can regenerate complex tissues and organs, such as the brain, spinal cord, retina, heart, and limbs.
The lab combines genetic modification, single-cell analysis, advanced imaging, bioinformatics, and comparative physiology with mice.
Its long-term goal is to connect the findings to medical approaches for human degenerative diseases, fibrosis, and trauma.
Key terms
- Schwann cell
- A type of peripheral glial cell. This research deals with those found in the sensory nerves of the limb.
- ZRS
- An enhancer sequence (a region that boosts gene activity) that regulates expression of the Shh gene in the limb.
- Organoid
- A tissue-like three-dimensional structure created by culturing cells in 3D.
ResearchResearch themes
The lab studies how adult newts regenerate lost tissue, using a wide range of methods from the molecular to the tissue and whole-organism level. It aims to clarify how regeneration occurs naturally and to connect this to medical approaches for human degenerative diseases, fibrosis, and trauma.
*Illustrative imageThe role of glial cells in limb regeneration
The lab studies how Schwann cells in sensory nerves reactivate ZRS, an enhancer of the Shh gene. This phenomenon is necessary for an adult limb to be rebuilt correctly, and is thought to be specific to urodele (tailed) amphibians.
*Illustrative imageRecreating newt regeneration in mouse 3D culture
As part of the newt research group of Professor Chikafumi Chiba and colleagues, the lab focuses on newt-specific regeneration factors outside and inside cells. It aims to use these factors to create mouse 3D cultures and organoids.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Laboratory of Regenerative Physiology are introduced in the categories of faculty, graduate students, and alumni.As of 2025
- ProfessorCHIBA Chikafumi
- Assistant ProfessorCASCO Martin
- Assistant ProfessorSHIGA Shouta
VoicesStudent voices
Ratings and reviews reflect the experiences of individual current or former students, not the lab's official views. Whether a lab has reviews, or how many, says nothing about the lab itself.
Students who take part in an interview may receive a thank-you gift worth ¥1,000, regardless of what they say.
Student ratings (0 students)
--
--
--
--
--
--
Student voices answer questions like these
- What's great about this lab?
- What did you learn after joining?
- What's the vibe, and what is the professor like?
- Who is this lab for?
- Where do graduates go?
Your experience can help younger students choose their lab. Your name won't be shown.
Write a lab reviewAnonymous · Your draft is saved if you stopRelatedLabs similar to Animal Physiology Lab (Casco-Robles)
Shiga LabSchool of Life and Environmental Sciences, College of Biological Sciences[Shota Shiga] Field: animal physiology; dynamics and charact…
Neurobiology Lab (Vogt)School of Life and Environmental Sciences, College of Biological SciencesSpecialty: neurobiology. Sleep function, neural networks, ne…
Marine Biology and Science Communication LabSchool of Life and Environmental Sciences, College of Biological SciencesSpecialty: marine biology, science communication. Visual com…
Plant Physiology LabSchool of Life and Environmental Sciences, College of Biological SciencesSpecialty: plant physiology. Parasitic plants; plant growth …The information on this page is compiled by the LabLog team from the lab's public information and interviews. For corrections or removal requests, please contact LabLog, not the lab.
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: “Cynops pyrrhogaster (under s4)” Alpsdake / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- The role of glial cells in limb regeneration: “Japanese Fire-Bellied Newt (Cynops pyrrhogaster) ( )” Cliff from Arlington, Virginia, USA / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Recreating newt regeneration in mouse 3D culture: “Binder CB 210 incubator interior” Shinryuu / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (Shiga Lab): “Human umbilical vein endothelial cells” BigLew99 / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Neurobiology Lab (Vogt)): “Sleeping baby, Baby's sleep, Colors, Moscow, Russia” Vyacheslav Argenberg / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Marine Biology and Science Communication Lab): “Van de Graaff Lightning Generator Exhibit Museum of Science Boston” EgorovaSvetlana / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Plant Physiology Lab): “Plants in the Temple Greenhouse - geograph.org.uk - 3382269” David Lally / CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped)
About LabLog
LabLog is a lab review app for students only. Student members at each university interview students in labs and publish what they say. Student voices can only be read by students who sign up with a university email address. Operated by bestiee Inc.
Learn more about LabLog ↗Search engines and AI may reference the basic lab info and rating summaries on this page and the description of LabLog. Student voices are for student members only. Automated collection by programs (scraping, or input to or training of AI) is prohibited under Article 8 of the Terms of Service. If you need data for research or analysis, please contact us.