The First Department of Physiology

Professor: Yoichi UETA, MD, Ph.D.
Research Associate: Hiroaki FUJIHARA, Ph.D. & Toru YOKOYAMA, MD

Focus of research:

  1. The role of the hypothalamus in the integrative site of the neuroendocrine and immune system
  2. The electrophysiological study of the mechanisms regulating hypothalamic neuroendocrine cells
  3. The regulation of gene expression and gene products in the neurondocrine and immune system
  4. The study of the drinking mechanism in the inbred polydipsic mice
  5. The behavioral, neuroendocrine and autonomic nervous function in the immunologically abnormal animals
  6. It is well known that the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus is the integrative site in the neuroendocrine and immune function. The magnocellular neurosecretory cells in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and supraoptic nucleus (SON) regulate the secretion of the posterior pituitary hormones, vasopressin and oxytocin. The parvocellular neurosecretory cells send their axons to the median eminence and regulate ACTH release. These neurosecretory cells receive neural information from the peripheral organs via brainstem and humoral information. We have examined the neural network between the neurosecretory cells and peripheral organs (heart, stomach, kidney etc.).
  7. The mechanisms regulating hypothalamic neuroendocrine cells in the PVN and SON have been studied by electrophysiological techniques such as patch-clamp or intracellular-microelectrode techniques, and the fluorescence imaging technique for cytosolic Ca2+ concentrations .
  8. The gene expression and gene products, for example vasopressin, oxytocin, cytokines (Interleukin 6) and nitric oxide synthase in the hypothalamus, pituitary glands and endocrine organs have been examined by in situ hybridization histochemistry and immunohistochemistry .
  9. The inbred polydipsic mice (STR/N) were discovered by Silverstein et al. (State University of New York) in the late 1950's. Daily water intake of the polydipsic mice is 5 to 8 times more than that in control, but food intake is similar. When water is given ad lib the polydipsic mice produce a large volume of urine with low ionic concentrations. Although the polydipsic mice seem to possess an innate thirst for water, the central mechanisms of the polydipsic in the STR/N mice has not been clear. We have examined why they drink so much, using behavioral, molecular biological, histological, electrophysiological and molecular physiological techniques.
  10. To examine the etiology of autoimmune disease we have examined the behavioral, immunological and neuroendocrinological status in the experimental adjutant arthritis rats.
  11. Studies on roles of the hypothalamus in neuro-immune-endocrine interaction
    1. Electrophysiological analysis of ionic channels and neurotransmitter release in isolated neurons and brain slice preparations
    2. Analysis of cytosolic Ca2+ concentrations by Ca2+- imaging in isolated neurones and brain slice preparations
    3. Molecular biological analysis of the regulatory mechanisms of vasopressin and oxytocin neurons


Latest publications of our research

Profile of staff

Educational activities

  1. Mechanisms of excitation of neurons and muscle cells
  2. Structure and functions of ion channels
  3. Mechanisms of synaptic transmission
  4. Mechanisms of signal perception and transduction in the sensory system
  5. Function of neural network in the integration of bio-signals
  6. Mechanisms of the control of the motor systems and the reflex
  7. Functions of the autonomic nerve and its relation to humoral regulation
  8. Mechanisms of emotions and drives
  9. Mechanisms of cognition, learning and other higher functions of the brain


［文責：第１生理学教室　最終更新日：2008年1月24日（木）］