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Nakagawa Lab
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The lab uncovers how iPS cells are generated and explores safer, higher-quality ways to make them.
AboutAbout the lab
Approaching cellular plasticity through the mechanisms of reprogramming
iPS cells are pluripotent stem cells that can differentiate into many cell types. They are made by introducing specific transcription factors into somatic cells to reprogram them.
The Nakagawa Lab conducts basic research that aims to reach the essence of cellular plasticity by elucidating the mechanisms of reprogramming.
The lab found MYCL, a safer substitute for c-MYC, and has established a method that achieves both efficiency and quality in generating iPS cells.
Key terms
- Reprogramming
- Returning somatic cells to a pluripotent state
- Transcription factor
- A protein that binds to DNA and regulates whether genes are turned on or off
- Synthetic mRNA
- Artificially made mRNA. It allows cells to produce factors without using viruses
- Single-cell RNA-seq
- A method for examining which genes are active in each individual cell
ResearchResearch themes
This research is directly linked to improving the quality of iPS cells and advancing manufacturing technology, and it forms a foundation that accelerates their application in regenerative medicine, drug discovery, and personalized medicine.
*Illustrative imageMechanisms of Somatic Cell Reprogramming
The lab improved a virus-free reprogramming method that uses synthetic mRNA, greatly increasing the efficiency of generating iPS cells from blood-derived cells. Using single-cell RNA-seq, it showed that cell fates diverge at an early stage.
*Illustrative imageSignals That Maintain the Undifferentiated State
The lab has shown that the growth factor bFGF interacts with integrins in addition to its receptor, and that this brings together signals important for maintaining the undifferentiated state.
MembersFaculty
- LecturerMasato Nakagawa
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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: “Parkinson's induced pluripotent stem cell” US Department of Energy / Public domain (cropped)
- Mechanisms of Somatic Cell Reprogramming: “Types of RNA” Christinelmiller / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Signals That Maintain the Undifferentiated State: “Organization of molecular connections mediating linkages between actin cytoskeleton and transmembrane adhesion receptors, integrins, at the cell–ECM adhesion sites” Eslami-Kaliji, F.; Hedayat Nia, N.; Lakey, J.R.T.; Smink, A.M.; Mohammadi, M. / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Takashima Lab): “Spectrum of pluripotency in the human embryo” Ávila-González D, Portillo W, García-López G, Molina-Hernández A, Díaz-Martínez NE and Díaz NF / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Takahashi Lab): “Ribosome mRNA translation de” Matt / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (Saito Lab): “Immobilization of Different Nucleic Acid Structures” Fozs / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Iwasaki Lab): “General workflow for mass spectrometry based spatial proteomics” Yuen-ennu / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
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