Message

Animal regeneration is a very intriguing phenomenon. We still cannot explain why a newt, an amphibian, regenerates a complete limb after amputation while a human being cannot regenerate a limb. We will learn a lot from regeneration phenomena both for basic and applied sciences. 

Research Theme

The PI’s specialty is developmental biology and regenerative biology. Our laboratory is studying regeneration phenomena of amphibians. Amphibians have exceptionally high regeneration ability as vertebrates. They regenerate various organs such as limb, tail, lower jaw, skin and so on after amputation or injury. We are mainly studying limb regeneration and skin regeneration by using amphibian model organism, Xenopus (African frog). 

Education & Appointments

Education

1996　B. S. (Biology)　Tohoku University Faculty of Science, Sendai, Japan

2001　Ph.D. (Biology)　Tohoku University Graduate School of Science, Sendai, Japan

Postdoctoral Training

2001-2002　
Tohoku University Graduate School of Science, Sendai, Japan (Dr. Hiroyuki Ide)

2002-2007　
University of Washington School of Medicine/ HHMI, Seattle, WA, USA (Dr. Randall Moon)

Faculty Academic Appointments

2007-2014　
Assistant Professor　Tohoku University, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Sendai, Japan

2014-present　
Associate Professor　Hirosaki University, Faculty of Agriculture and Life Science

Other Professional Positions

1998-2001
JSPS Research Fellow (predoctoral)　
Tohoku University, Graduate School of Science, Sendai, Japan

2001-2004
JSPS Research Fellow (postdoctoral)　
Tohoku University, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Sendai, Japan

2004-2006
JSPS Research Fellow (abroad)　
University of Washington School of Medicine/ HHMI

2006-2007
Senior Fellow　
University of Washington School of Medicine/ HHMI

2007-2007
Education and research assistant　
Tohoku University, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Sendai, Japan

Publications

(*co-first authors)

2018

Hasugata, R., Hayashi, S., Kawasumi-Kita, A., Sakamoto, J., Kamei, Y. and Yokoyama, H. 2018. Infrared laser-mediated gene induction at the single-cell level in the regenerating tail of Xenopus laevis tadpoles. Cold Spring Harbor Protocols, in press (DOI: 10.1101/pdb.prot101014).

2017

Otsuka-Yamaguchi, R., Kawasumi-Kita, A., Kudo, N., Izutsu, Y., Tamura, K. and Yokoyama, H. Cells from subcutaneous tissues contribute to scarless skin regeneration in Xenopus laevis froglets. Developmental Dynamics, 2017, 246, 585–597. 

Matsubara, H., Saito, D., Abe, G., Yokoyama, H., Suzuki T., and Tamura, K. Upstream regulation for initiation of restricted Shh expression in the chick limb bud. Developmental Dynamics, 2017, 246, 417–430. 

2015

Kawasumi-Kita, A.*, Hayashi, T.*, Kobayashi, T., Nagayama, C., Hayashi, S., Kamei, Y., Morishita, Y., Takeuchi, T., Tamura, K. and Yokoyama, H. Application of local gene induction by infrared laser-mediated microscope and temperature stimulator to amphibian regeneration study. Development Growth and Differentiation, 2015, 57, 601-613. 

Seki, R., Kitajima, K., Matsubara, H., Suzuki, T., Saito, D., Yokoyama, H. and Tamura, K. AP-2β is a transcriptional regulator for determination of digit length in tetrapods. Developmental Biology. 2015, 407, 75–89. 

Hayashi, S., Kawaguchi, A., Uchiyama, I., Kawasumi-Kita, A., Kobayashi, T., Nishide, H, Tsutsumi, R., Tsuru, K., Inoue, T., Ogino, H., Agata, K., Tamura, K. and Yokoyama, H. Epigenetic Modification Maintains Intrinsic Limb-Cell Identity in Xenopus Limb Bud Regeneration. Developmental Biology, 2015, 406, 271–282. 

Hayashi, S., Kobayashi, T., Yano, T., Kamiyama, N., Egawa, S., Seki, R., Takizawa, K., Okabe, M., Yokoyama, H. and Tamura, K. Evidence for an amphibian sixth digit. Zoological Letters. 2015, 1:17. 

Wakasa, H., Cadiz, A., Echenique-Diaz, L.M. Iwasaki, W.M. Kamiyama, N., Nishimura, Y., Yokoyama, H., Tamura, K. and Kawata, M. Developmental stages for the divergence of relative limb length between a twig and a trunk-ground Anolis lizard species. Journal of Experimental Zoology Part B: Molecular and Developmental Evolution, 2015, 324, 410-423.

Hayashi, S., Yokoyama, H. and Tamura, K. Roles of Hippo signaling pathway in size control of organ regeneration. Development Growth and Differentiation, 2015, 57, 341-351.

2014

Hayashi, S., Ochi, H., Ogino, H., Kawasumi, A., Kamei, Y., Tamura, T. and Yokoyama, H. Transcriptional regulators in the Hippo signaling pathway control organ growth in Xenopus tadpole tail regeneration. Developmental Biology, 2014, 396, 31-41.

Egawa, S.*, Miura, S.*, Yokoyama, H., Endo, T. and Tamura, K. Growth and differentiation of a long bone in limb development, repair and regeneration. Development Growth and Differentiation, 2014, 56, 410-424.

Nomura, N. Yokoyama, H. and Tamura, K. Altered developmental events in the anterior region of the chick forelimb give rise to avian-specific digit loss. Developmental Dynamics. 2014, 243, 741–752.

Hayashi, S. Tamura, K. and Yokoyama, H. Yap1, transcription regulator in the Hippo signaling pathway, is required for Xenopus limb bud regeneration. Developmental Biology. 2014, 388, 57-67.

2013

Kawasumi, A., Sagawa, N., Hayashi, S., Yokoyama, H., and Tamura, K. “Wound Healing in Mammals and Amphibians: Toward Limb Regeneration in Mammals”. Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology. Ellen Heber-Katz; David L. Stocum eds. Springer, 2013, 367, 33-49.

Laboratory

Our laboratory is a pretty new laboratory. Newcomer students learn developmental biology field from a textbook, “Developmental Biology” by Scott F. Gilbert.