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The research theme of our laboratory is elucidation of the immune systems using chickens as experimental animals. The reasons are that chickens have served as model subjects for immune system experiments in the past, and in recent years their use as experimental animals has led to many breakthroughs in fields ranging widely from fundamental immunology to applied research.
Our laboratory is currently engaged in researching a wide range of subjects that are grounded in avian immune systems. These may be roughly categorized as follows.
1. Analysis of the immune memory system in the germinal center (GC) and GC-like area
2. Fundamental and applied research on chicken monoclonal antibodies
3. Basic study on the innate immune response in fish and the acquired immune response in fish.
4. Study on the mechanisms of class switching of the chicken immunoglobulin
5. Fundamental and applied research on avian pluripotent stem cells
6. Application of genome editing method to avian pluripotent stem cells
7. Creation and application of genetically-modified birds
Keywords
Chicken, Fish, Immune system, Stem cell, Genome editing
Chicken germinal center
Ovomucoid knockout chimera chicken
Recent Publications
Fukushima, Y., Miyai, T., Kumagai, M., Horiuchi, H. and Furusawa, S., (2012) Molecular cloning of chicken interleukin-5 receptor a-chain and analysis of its binding specificity. Dev. Comp. Immunol. 37:354-362.
Nakano, M., Arisawa, A., Yokoyama, S., Nishimoto, M., Yamashita, Y., Sakashita M., Ezaki, R., Matsuda, H., Furusawa, S. and Horiuchi, H., (2011) Characteristics of Novel Chicken Embryonic Stem Cells Established Using Chicken Leukemia Inhibitory Factor. J Poult Sci. 48: 64-72.
Elazab, M.F.A., Fukushima, Y.,Fujita, Y., Horiuchi, H., Matsuda, M. and Furusdawa, S. (2010) Induction of immune suppression in the chick by an optimal dose of an immunizing antigen in presence of its specific maternal antibody. J. Vet. Med. Sci. 72:257-263.
Fukushima, Y., Satoh, M., Matsuda, H., Furusawa, S. and Horiuchi, H., (2010) Construction of an insertion vector for gene targeting of chicken lens-specific gene. J Poult Sci. 47: 144-148.
