Research Interests:
In our laboratory, we are interested in understanding cellular and molecular mechanisms that underlie the development and plasticity in mammalian brain, in particular the sensory systems in the forebrain including the thalamus, the neocortex, and the connections between them. Efforts in our lab are directed at two major goals. First, we are studying the mechanisms by which different thalamic nuclei are specified during early embryogenesis. We are particularly interested in the roles of various transcription factors. To this goal, we do extensive analysis of gene expression patterns in the embryonic brain, fate mapping using transgenic reporter mice, as well as analysis of various knockout mice lacking these transcription factors. We are also conducting gain-of-function analysis by producing transgenic mice and in vivo gene delivery by in utero electroporation. The second goal is to understand the roles of sensory input in the differentiation of the mammalian neocortex. We are focusing on teasing apart the intrinsic mechanisms that operate within the neocortex and the extrinsic mechanisms that are derived from the thalamic input into the neocortex. To this goal, we are systematically manipulating various aspects of thalamocortical projections by using conditional and inducible gene targeting methods. Expertise in our lab include molecular biology, immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, gene targeting using embryonic stem cells, in vitro manipulation of embryonic stem cells, in utero electroporation, image analysis, axon tracing, and classical neuroanatomy.
Selected Publications:
Vue, TY., Aaker, J., Taniguchi, A., Kazemzadeh, C., Skidmore, JM., Martin, DM., Martin, JF., Treier, M., and Nakagawa, Y Characterization of progenitor domains in the developing mouse thalamus Journal of Comparative Neurology 2007 505: 73-91
Burns TC, Ortiz-Gonzalez XR, Gutierrez-Perez M, Keene CD, Sharda R, Demorest ZL, Jiang Y, Nelson-Holte M, Soriano M, Nakagawa Y, Luquin MR, Garcia-Verdugo JM, Prosper F, Low WC, Verfaillie CM. Thymidine analogs are transferred from prelabeled donor to host cells in the central nervous system after transplantation: a word of caution. Stem Cells. 2006 Apr;24(4):1121-7.
Nakagawa, Y. and O'Leary, DDM. (2003) Patterned expression of orphan
nuclear receptor genes RORa and RORb in developing mouse forebrain.
Developmental Neuroscience (in press)
O'Leary, DDM. and Nakagawa, Y. (2002) Patterning center, regulatory
genes, and extrinsic mechanisms controlling the arealization of
the neocortex. Current
Opinions in Neurobiology, 12: 14-25
Nakagawa, Y. and O'Leary, DDM. (2001) Combinatorial expression
patterns of LIM-homeodomain and other regulatory genes parcellate
developing thalamus. Journal
of Neuroscience, 21: 2711-2725
Current Graduate Students:
Tou Vue (Neuroscience, University of Minnesota) |
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