Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine

My lab focuses on the intracellular regulatory mechanism of ion transport proteins functionally expressed in exocrine glands, such as salivary glands, and epithelial cells. I'd like to move my research forward by comprehensively using electrophysiological, molecular and cell biological methods and organ and tissue perfusion methods. For example, one theme is to identify membrane transport proteins (i.e.,ion channels and transporters)  that exist in the parotid gland of ruminants such as bovines. The proteins enable amazing membrane transport (particularly of bicarbonate ions and phosphate ions). Another theme is the identification of intracellular regulatory proteins that control the membrane transport proteins. In addition to these studies, I hope to contribute to the understanding and treatment of human diseases caused by abnormalities of  structure and function of ion channels and transporters (i.e., channelopathies and transportopathy) through basic studies on cell physiology using porcine tracheal epithelium and ciliated epithelial cells.

• Molecular and cellular regulatory mechanisms of electrogenic sodium bicarbonate cotransporter functionally expressed in bovine parotid acinar cells
• Electrophysiological properties and molecular basis of potassium channels and divalent cation-permeable ion channels functioally expressed in bovine parotid acinar cells
• Electrophysiological properties and molecular basis of potassium channels and epithelial sodium channel involved in electrogenic sodium transport in ciliated epithelial cells of porcine trachea
• Calcium-activated potassium transport pathway functionally expressed in the basolateral membrane of rat mandibular acinar cells