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2002 Annual Report 2002 Annual Report RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology 2002 Annual Report 2002 Annual Report http://www.cdb.riken.go.jp CENTER FOR DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY (CDB) 2-2-3 MINATOJIMA-MINAMIMACHI, CHUO-KU KOBE, 650-0047 JAPAN PHONE: +81-78-306-0111 FAX: +81-78-306-0101 EMAIL: [email protected] Production Text Douglas Sipp Content Development Naoki Namba Douglas Sipp Design TRAIS K. K. Photography Yutaka Doi On The Cover Distribution of the ERM proteins ezrin (green) and moesin (red) in the forelimb bud of the mouse embryo. Photo: Shigenobu Yonemura All contents copyright (c) RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology, 2003. Printed in Japan Printed on recycled paper Contents ■ Organization ……………………………………………… 1 RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology ■ Message from the ……………… Director/Introduction 2/3 ■ 2002 Highlights …………………………………………… 4/5 Deputy Directors Core Program Shin-ichi Nishikawa Shinichi Aizawa ■ Cell Adhesion and Tissue Patterning (Masatoshi Takeichi) 8/9 ■ Stem Cell Biology (Shin-ichi Nishikawa) 10/11 Executive Advisor ■ Vertebrate Body Plan (Shinichi Aizawa) 12/13 Michio Seki ■ Morphogenetic Signaling (Shigeo Hayashi) 14/15 Director ■ Cell Asymmetry (Fumio Matsuzaki) 16/17 Masatoshi Takeichi ■ Organogenesis and Neurogenesis (Yoshiki Sasai) 18/19 Institutional Review Board ■ Evolutionary Regeneration Biology (Kiyokazu Agata) 20/21 Zentaro Kitagawa Vice-Director, International Institute for Advanced Studies Hiroko Ueno Creative Research Promoting Program Representative, Laboratory for Media and Communication Mako Tanaka ■ Neural Network Development (Chihiro Hama) 24/25 Director, Kobe Film Office Kazuto Kato ■ Vertebrate Axis Formation (Masahiko Hibi) 26/27 Associate Professor, Institute for Research in Humanities, Kyoto University ■ Positional Information (Shigeru Kondo) 28/29 Tsutomu Miki Kurosawa IEXAS, Osaka University Medical School ■ Evolutionary Morphology (Shigeru Kuratani) 30/31 Yasushi Yukinari ■ Cell Migration (Kiyoji Nishiwaki) 32/33 Staff Writer, Science News Department, The Yomiuri Shinbun ■ Pluripotent Cell Studies (Hitoshi Niwa) 34/35 Shin-ichi Nishikawa Deputy Director, RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology Group Director, Laboratory for Stem Cell Biology, ■ Mammalian Epigenetic Studies (Masaki Okano) 36/37 RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology ■ Cell Fate Decision (Hitoshi Sawa) 38/39 Kiyokazu Agata Group Director, Laboratory for Evolutionary Regeneration Biology, ■ Developmental Genomics (Asako Sugimoto) 40/41 RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology ■ Body Patterning (Yoshiko Takahashi) 42/43 Advisory Council ■ Genomic Reprogramming (Teruhiko Wakayama) 44/45 ■ Embryonic Induction (Hiroshi Sasaki) 46 Igor Dawid, Chair Laboratory of Molecular Genetics National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH (USA) ■ Germline Development (Akira Nakamura) 47 William Chia ■ Chromatin Dynamics (Jun-ichi Nakayama) 48 MRC Center for Developmental Neurobiology (UK) ■ Stem Cell Translational Research (Takayuki Asahara) 49 Elaine Fuchs Howard Hughes Medical Institute ■ Mammalian Molecular Embryology (Tony Perry) 50 Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology University of Chicago (USA) ■2002 New Faces Neuronal Differentiation and Regeneration (Hideki Enomoto) 51 Hajime Fujisawa Division of Biological Science ■ Sensory Development (Raj Ladher) 52 Nagoya University Graduate School of Science (Japan) Peter Gruss Department of Molecular Cell Biology Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry (Germany) Supporting Laboratories Yoshiki Hotta National Institute of Genetics (Japan) ■ Cellular Morphogenesis (Shigenobu Yonemura) 54/55 Yoichi Nabeshima Animal Resources and Genetic Engineering (Shinichi Aizawa) / Sequencing Lab 56 Department of Pathology and Tumor Biology ■ Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine (Japan) Tatsutoshi Nakahata Department of Pediatrics Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine (Japan) ■ Model Organisms ………………………………… 57/58 Austin Smith ■ Administration/Educational ……………… Activities 60/61 Center for Genome Research University of Edinburgh (UK) ■ 2002 Seminars ………………………………… 62/63 Yoshimi Takai ■ City of Kobe/Medical Industry Development Project … 64/65 Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry Osaka University Graduate School/Faculty of Medicine RIKEN CDB 2002 Annual Report RIKEN CDB 2002 Annual Report 1 Development Regeneration Center for Developmental Biology Regenerative Medicine Masatoshi Takeichi Director, CDB Message from the Director Why Study Development? 2002 represented a landmark year in the history of the RIKEN class research setting, with the active support of local and The study of developmental biology traces its roots back to Aristotle and the observations Center for Developmental Biology, one which saw the comple- national governments and participation by public, academic he made on the changes that take place in hen's eggs as the embryos grow from a form- tion of its main physical facilities, the addition of seven out- and corporate research organizations. A spirit of collegiality less mass into a highly organized and recognizable chick. Scientists today continue to ask standing new laboratories, and the official opening of the Cen- and international cooperation pervades the atmosphere here, many of the same questions about development that intrigued natural philosophers in the ter itself in July. It has been a true pleasure to be able to play and I look forward to seeing the results of collaborations bet- past, but at dramatically increased levels of sophistication and complexity. How do the the dual roles of center director and head of the laboratory for ween labs within the CDB with their colleagues at the Center, organs of the body arise? How do cells differentiate? What enables animals to reproduce Cell Adhesion and Tissue Patterning and to watch as the CDB as well as their counterparts in the region, throughout Japan, and transmit genetic traits to their offspring? What are the biological bases underlying evo- grew from no more than an inspired idea in 2000 to become and around the world. lution? The science of development now extends to and impacts upon nearly every field of one of the largest developmental biology research centers in biology in its quest to determine how the information stored in a fertilized egg can trigger the world today. It has been my goal as director of the Center for Developmen- and orchestrate the processes leading to the establishment of unique individuals and the tal Biology to develop a new, open model for research organi- endlessly diverse species they comprise. The Center for Developmental Biology was launched in April zations within Japan, with an emphasis on providing the free- 2000 under the auspices of the Millennium Project research dom and independence to envision new directions of Questions of how the body maintains and heals itself also drive research into regeneration. initiative launched by former Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi. research, and the organizational and material support to make For centuries it has been known that different species have different self-healing powers, The Millennium Projects were established to drive research in those visions real. Nearly three years have passed since the but the reasons for these differences and the mechanisms by which our own bodies replen- the fields of information technology, environmental science birth of the CDB as a concept, and the investment of time and ish cells lost to aging, injury or disease are now coming into much sharper focus. With the and the study of aging, areas of vital importance to both money has already begun to bear fruit in the form of solid, emergence of improved techniques for studying regeneration at the cellular and molecular Japan and the world in the 21th century. The drafters of this innovative research into the mechanisms of development, levels, the roles of biological systems governing the maintenance and restoration of the plan recognized the great potential for contributions by devel- regeneration and the scientific bases for regenerative medi- body's cells have grown clearer, spurring further interest into progenitor cell types known to opmental and regeneration biologists in addressing the health cine. The years ahead hold the promise of ushering in new be capable of generating appropriate new cells in response to damage and loss. challenges confronting an aging society, and so the concept conceptual insights regarding the biological processes of of a national center for developmental biology was born. development, and of translating those insights into applica- These progenitor (or 'stem') cells play fascinating and crucial roles in development and A vast array of details needed to be worked out in order to tions with the potential to revolutionize the way we think about regeneration, and science now looks to harness their potential for medical application by make this vision a reality, and the RIKEN research organiza- aging, disease and medical therapy. I invite you to explore discovering ways to induce and guide their differentiation to supply natural replacement tion provided the organizational structure and support environ- this report for a first glimpse into some of the challenges and cells to damaged organs and tissues. The emerging field of regenerative medicine looks to ment needed, giving initial form to what is now the CDB and mysteries that we have encountered, and a few of those that translate research findings from the laboratory bench to the hospital bed and to develop helping to
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