| sdkojima@mail.ecc.u-tokyo.ac.jp | |
| TEL | +81-3-5841-4382 | 24382（ext.） |
| Room | 204, Faculty of Science Bldg.3, 2F |
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Research Field
Photobiology, Molecular biology, Sensory physiology
Research Subject
Molecular mechanism of visual and non-visual photoreception in vertebrates
Current Research
Light is an important environmental information for animals. In vertebrates, photoreceptor molecules are present in the retinal rod and cone photoreceptor cells, which are responsible for vision, as well as in the brain and peripheral tissues, and they are involved in a variety of light-regulated physiological phenomena. Physiological phenomena regulated by light also include light entrainment of the body clock and changes in body color. We study molecular signaling in these light physiological phenomena. As photoreceptor proteins, we are particulary interested in rhodopsin family proteins, in which rhodopsin-like proteins have been identified one after another in recent years. Our research is focused on identifying which light-sensing proteins are involved in the light physiological phenomena in animals, and using this as a starting point, we are investigating the molecular mechanisms of light-environment responses. Furthermore, we are also approaching the mechanism of functional differentiation of the photoreceptor cells involved in these light responses and how they acquire various functions.
Keywords
opsin, photoreceptor proteins, phototransduction, retina, behavior, body color change, circadian photoreception, transgenic technology, zebrafish