Juntendo University, Tokyo, established in 1838.

The research in my department encompasses a wide range of topics on human biology and anatomy. Special emphasis is placed on the cell biology and pathophysiology of the kidney and vascular system, the macroscopic structure of the muscles, vessels and nerves, and the historical development of anatomy and medicine. Methods and materials for anatomical education are also of great concern, and many books and articles of pedagogic purpose for medical students and the general public are published annually by the members of my department.

1) Hidetake Kurihara

We have investigated the cell structure and function of renal glomerular cells including podocytes, mesangial cells and endothelial cells by using biochemical and molecular imaging techniques. A large number of originally established lines of cultured glomerular cells and monoclonal antibodies are powerful tools that we use. Our main fields of recent interest are the cytoskeleton and cell junction.

2) Hiroyuki Kudoh

My group organizes macroscopic anatomical education and research for medical students to learn the human body structure and for clinicians to improve their medical skills and develop new therapeutic tools. We dissect human cadavers, supported by body donations, and study the morphology of the cardiovascular, nervous and musculoskeletal systems, and connective tissues.

3) Koichiro Ichimura

My group is devoted to research on how animals acquired and evolved the excretory system, especially filtration epithelial cells, such as podocytes. To attain this goal, we aim to describe comprehensively the 3D ultrastructure of filtration epithelial cells in all animal phyla, and to identify the molecules that constitute the filtration barrier membrane, such as podocyte slit diaphragm, in primitive animal groups.

4) Miki Nagase

My group aims to discover the molecular mechanisms of target organ injury associated with lifestyle-related disorders, and to establish novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. We are currently focusing on the roles of nuclear receptors, Rho family proteins, morphofunctional analyses and cell-cell communication. We identified that aberrant mineralocorticoid receptor activation by a small GTPase, Rac1, causes proteinuria and renal inflammation.

5) Tadashi Sawai

One of our objectives is to analyze the influence of Galen upon early modern anatomy and to evaluate the main causes of the formation of modern anatomy by reading and translating Galen's anatomical books and others. Moreover, for comparing anatomical books of different ages and cultures, we investigate the transition of anatomical terminology from ancient to modern periods and the introduction of Western terms into Japanese anatomy.