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Biological Function Lab
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A lab that explores how neural circuits work, starting from the smallest and fastest events in the brain.
AboutAbout the lab
From the smallest and fastest events to how the brain works.
The Biological Function Lab studies the mechanisms of exocytosis at synapses, the junctions that connect neurons.
Synaptic exocytosis is the smallest (about 40 nm in diameter) and fastest (within 1 ms) form of exocytosis in the body.
The lab aims to uncover how this tiny event varies depending on the brain region and the situation, and how those variations give rise to differences in the properties of neural circuits.
Key terms
- Synapse
- The site where neurons connect to each other and pass on information
- Exocytosis
- A process in which a small sac inside a cell fuses with the cell membrane and releases its contents outside. In neurons, it releases the substances that transmit information
- Live imaging
- A method of capturing phenomena occurring inside living cells or tissues as they happen, in the form of images or video
- Super-resolution microscopy
- Microscopy that can resolve details down to the nanometer scale, finer than ordinary light microscopes can distinguish
ResearchResearch themes
The lab studies the mechanisms of exocytosis, mainly in neurons of the mouse brain.
*Illustrative imageCapturing the moment synaptic vesicles fuse
To capture the moment a synaptic vesicle about 40 nm in diameter fuses with the cell membrane, the lab uses electrophysiological techniques and live imaging. Super-resolution microscopy is also used.
*Illustrative imageHow differences in exocytosis shape the properties of neural circuits
The lab examines differences between types of neurons, as well as changes caused by development, adaptation, and learning, aiming to clarify how differences in the properties of exocytosis give rise to differences in neural circuits and higher brain functions.
MembersFaculty
- ProfessorMitsuharu Midorikawa
- Program-Specific Assistant ProfessorKazuki Obashi
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Report an errorAbout the images
For images provided to us or used with permission, the source is listed on each line. Wikimedia Commons images are illustrative and were not taken at the lab (they are cropped). Cropped CC BY-SA images are provided under the same CC BY-SA license as the original (version shown on each line).
- Top image: “Synaptic vesicle model” Qualiesin / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Capturing the moment synaptic vesicles fuse: “Exocytosis 1 -- Smart-Servier” Laboratoires Servier / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- How differences in exocytosis shape the properties of neural circuits: “RAB exocytosis” Olga Martinez-Arroyo, Estela Selma-Soriano, Ana Ortega, Raquel Cortes, andJ osep Redon / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Developmental Neurobiology Lab): “The developing cerebral cortex” Shyam K Akula , David Exposito-Alonso , Christopher A Walsh / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Neurorehabilitation Lab): “Neurorehabilitation Class” ニューロリハビリテーション研究室 / 研究室からの
提供 (cropped) - Related lab (Intelligent Medical Engineering Lab): “Cone Beam CT” Ptrump16 / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Advanced Medical Instrumentation Systems Lab): “Nihonmedaka” NOZO / CC BY 3.0 (cropped)
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