Masato Nakafuku MD, PhD
Title
Ohio Eminent Scholar
Appointment
Professor of Pediatrics
Email
masato.nakafuku@cchmc.org
Phone
513-636-9389
Fax
513-636-4317
Credentials
PhD: Biochemistry, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, University of Tokyo, 1988
MD: The University of Kanazawa School of Medicine, 1984
Awards and Honors
Young Investigator Award from The Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, 1988
Tokyo Technology Forum Investigator Award, 2003
Research
Research in the Nakafuku Laboratory centers development and regeneration of the central nervous system (CNS). We are seeking to understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying normal development of the CNS. We are also interested in applying advancement of our knowledge on neural development for developing novel therapeutic strategies to cure neurological diseases. These two research fields are directly related to each other, and neural stem cells are the key and major driving force to link both fields in our research activities.
Visit the Nakafuku Lab Site.
Publications, Most Recent
Masato Nakafuku's publications as listed by PubMed
- Kim HJ, Sugimori M, Nakafuku M, Svendsen CN. Control of neurogenesis and tyrosine hydroxylase expression in neural progenitor cells through bHLH proteins and Nurr1.Exp Neurol. 203:394-405, 2007.
- Nagao M, Sugimori M, Nakafuku M. Cross Talk between Notch and Growth Factor/Cytokine Signaling Pathways in Neural Stem Cells.Mol Cell Biol. 27:3982-3994, 2007.
- Parras CM, Hunt C, Sugimori M, Nakafuku M, Rowitch D, Guillemot F. The proneural gene Mash1 specifies an early population of telencephalic oligodendrocytes.J Neurosci. 27:4233-4242, 2007.
- Sugimori M, Nagao M, Bertrand N, Parras CM, Guillemot F, Nakafuku M. Combinatorial actions of patterning and HLH transcription factors in the spatiotemporal control of neurogenesis and gliogenesis in the developing spinal cord.Development. 134:1617-1629, 2007.
- Chen L, Liao G, Yang L, Campbell K, Nakafuku M, Kuan CY, Zheng Y. Cdc42 deficiency causes Sonic hedgehog-independent holoprosencephaly.Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 103:16520-16525, 2006.
- Ohori Y, Yamamoto S, Nagao M, Sugimori M, Yamamoto N, Nakamura K, Nakafuku M. Growth factor treatment and genetic manipulation stimulate neurogenesis and oligodendrogenesis by endogenous neural progenitors in the injured adult spinal cord.J Neurosci. 26:11948-11960, 2006.
- Azuma N, Tadokoro K, Asaka A, Yamada M, Yamaguchi Y, Handa H, Matsushima S, Watanabe T, Kida Y, Ogura T, Torii M, Shimamura K, Nakafuku M. Transdifferentiation of the retinal pigment epithelia to the neural retina by transfer of the Pax6 transcriptional factor.Hum Mol Genet. 14:1059-1068, 2005.
- Azuma N, Tadokoro K, Asaka A, Yamada M, Yamaguchi Y, Handa H, Matsushima S, Watanabe T, Kohsaka S, Kida Y, Shiraishi T, Ogura T, Shimamura K, Nakafuku M. The Pax6 isoform bearing an alternative spliced exon promotes the development of the neural retinal structure.Hum Mol Genet. 14:735-745, 2005.
- Kamakura S, Oishi K, Yoshimatsu T, Nakafuku M, Masuyama N, Gotoh Y. Hes binding to STAT3 mediates crosstalk between Notch and JAK-STAT signalling.Nat Cell Biol. 6:547-554, 2004.
- Oishi K, Kamakura S, Isazawa Y, Yoshimatsu T, Kuida K, Nakafuku M, Masuyama N, Gotoh Y. Notch promotes survival of neural precursor cells via mechanisms distinct from those regulating neurogenesis.Dev Biol. 276:172-184, 2004.
- Parras CM, Galli R, Britz O, Soares S, Galichet C, Battiste J, Johnson JE, Nakafuku M, Vescovi A, Guillemot F. Mash1 specifies neurons and oligodendrocytes in the postnatal brain.Embo J. 23:4495-4505, 2004.
- Hashimoto-Torii K, Motoyama J, Hui CC, Kuroiwa A, Nakafuku M, Shimamura K. Differential activities of Sonic hedgehog mediated by Gli transcription factors define distinct neuronal subtypes in the dorsal thalamus.Mech Dev. 120:1097-1111, 2003.
- Hu QD, Ang BT, Karsak M, Hu WP, Cui XY, Duka T, Takeda Y, Chia W, Sankar N, Ng YK, Ling EA, Maciag T, Small D, Trifonova R, Kopan R, Okano H, Nakafuku M, Chiba S, Hirai H, Aster JC, Schachner M, Pallen CJ, Watanabe K, Xiao ZC. F3/contactin acts as a functional ligand for Notch during oligodendrocyte maturation.Cell. 115:163-175, 2003.
- Fu H, Qi Y, Tan M, Cai J, Takebayashi H, Nakafuku M, Richardson W, Qiu M. Dual origin of spinal oligodendrocyte progenitors and evidence for the cooperative role of Olig2 and Nkx2.2 in the control of oligodendrocyte differentiation.Development. 129:681-693, 2002.
- Heins N, Malatesta P, Cecconi F, Nakafuku M, Tucker KL, Hack MA, Chapouton P, Barde YA, Gotz M. Glial cells generate neurons: the role of the transcription factor Pax6.Nat Neurosci. 5:308-315, 2002.
- Kamitori K, Machide M, Tomita K, Nakafuku M, Kohsaka S. Cell-type-specific expression of protein tyrosine kinase-related receptor RYK in the central nervous system of the rat.Brain Res Mol Brain Res. 104:255-266, 2002.
- Kobayashi D, Kobayashi M, Matsumoto K, Ogura T, Nakafuku M, Shimamura K. Early subdivisions in the neural plate define distinct competence for inductive signals.Development. 129:83-93, 2002.
- Nakatomi H, Kuriu T, Okabe S, Yamamoto S, Hatano O, Kawahara N, Tamura A, Kirino T, Nakafuku M. Regeneration of hippocampal pyramidal neurons after ischemic brain injury by recruitment of endogenous neural progenitors.Cell. 110:429-441, 2002.
- Imai T, Tokunaga A, Yoshida T, Hashimoto M, Mikoshiba K, Weinmaster G, Nakafuku M, Okano H. The neural RNA-binding protein Musashi1 translationally regulates mammalian numb gene expression by interacting with its mRNA.Mol Cell Biol. 21:3888-3900, 2001.
- Kato M, Seki N, Sugano S, Hashimoto K, Masuho Y, Muramatsu M, Kaibuchi K, Nakafuku M. Identification of sonic hedgehog-responsive genes using cDNA microarray.Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 289:472-478, 2001.
- Mizuguchi R, Sugimori M, Takebayashi H, Kosako H, Nagao M, Yoshida S, Nabeshima Y, Shimamura K, Nakafuku M. Combinatorial roles of olig2 and neurogenin2 in the coordinated induction of pan-neuronal and subtype-specific properties of motoneurons.Neuron. 31:757-771, 2001.
- Nakashima K, Takizawa T, Ochiai W, Yanagisawa M, Hisatsune T, Nakafuku M, Miyazono K, Kishimoto T, Kageyama R, Taga T. BMP2-mediated alteration in the developmental pathway of fetal mouse brain cells from neurogenesis to astrocytogenesis.Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 98:5868-5873, 2001.
- Yamamoto N, Yamamoto S, Inagaki F, Kawaichi M, Fukamizu A, Kishi N, Matsuno K, Nakamura K, Weinmaster G, Okano H, Nakafuku M. Role of Deltex-1 as a transcriptional regulator downstream of the Notch receptor.J Biol Chem. 276:45031-45040, 2001.
- Yamamoto S, Nagao M, Sugimori M, Kosako H, Nakatomi H, Yamamoto N, Takebayashi H, Nabeshima Y, Kitamura T, Weinmaster G, Nakamura K, Nakafuku M. Transcription factor expression and Notch-dependent regulation of neural progenitors in the adult rat spinal cord.J Neurosci. 21:9814-9823, 2001.
- Yamamoto S, Yamamoto N, Kitamura T, Nakamura K, Nakafuku M. Proliferation of parenchymal neural progenitors in response to injury in the adult rat spinal cord.Exp Neurol. 172:115-127, 2001.
