KAZUKO OKAMOTO

Last Updated :2025/06/30

Affiliations, Positions
Amphibian Research Center, Assistant Professor
E-mail
kazuko-okamotohiroshima-u.ac.jp
Self-introduction
To elucidate the cellular and molecular basis for the high regenerative capacity of urodele amphibians, we are conducting research using Iberian ribbed newts, Pleurodeles waltl as model animals. We are working on the establishment of highly quantitative bio-imaging methods with several biosensors and newt cell culture systems, to understand the phenomenon of dedifferentiation from differentiated cells, which is the key to initiation of regeneration.

Basic Information

Academic Degrees

  • Kyoto University
  • Kyoto University

Research Fields

  • Biology;Biological Science;Biophysics
  • Biology;Biological Science;Cell biology
  • Biology;Biological Science;Developmental biology

Research Keywords

  • Stem cells, ES cells, regeneration, single molecular imaging

Affiliated Academic Societies

  • Japan Society for Cell Biology
  • JAPANESE SOCIETY of DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGISTS

Educational Activity

Course in Charge

  1. 2025, Liberal Arts Education Program1, 3Term, Introduction to Biology
  2. 2025, Liberal Arts Education Program1, 3Term, The life science of amphibians
  3. 2025, Graduate Education (Master's Program) , Intensive, Introduction to Basic Science Researcher
  4. 2025, Liberal Arts Education Program1, 2Term, Introductory Seminar for First-Year Students
  5. 2025, Undergraduate Education, 1Term, Regeneration Biology
  6. 2025, Undergraduate Education, First Semester, Special Study for Graduation
  7. 2025, Undergraduate Education, Second Semester, Special Study for Graduation
  8. 2025, Undergraduate Education, Second Semester, Seminar for Amphibian Biology
  9. 2025, Undergraduate Education, First Semester, Practice for Fundamental Biology I
  10. 2025, Undergraduate Education, Second Semester, Practice for Fundamental Biology II
  11. 2025, Undergraduate Education, Second Semester, Practice for Fundamental Biology IV
  12. 2025, Undergraduate Education, First Semester, Practice for Fundamental Biology IV
  13. 2025, Graduate Education (Master's Program) , First Semester, Exercises in Basic Biology A
  14. 2025, Graduate Education (Master's Program) , Second Semester, Exercises in Basic Biology B
  15. 2025, Graduate Education (Master's Program) , 3Term, Biomedical Science Seminar A
  16. 2025, Graduate Education (Master's Program) , 3Term, Biomedical Science Seminar B
  17. 2025, Graduate Education (Master's Program) , 1Term, Advanced Technologies for Life Science
  18. 2025, Graduate Education (Master's Program) , Year, Research for Academic Degree Dissertation in Biomedial Science
  19. 2025, Graduate Education (Master's Program) , First Semester, Exercises in Biomedical Science A
  20. 2025, Graduate Education (Master's Program) , Second Semester, Exercises in Biomedical Science B
  21. 2025, Graduate Education (Doctoral Program) , 3Term, Biomedical Science Seminar C
  22. 2025, Graduate Education (Doctoral Program) , Year, Research for Academic Degree Dissertation in Integrated Life Sciences
  23. 2025, Graduate Education (Doctoral Program) , 3Term, Biomedical Science Seminar D
  24. 2025, Graduate Education (Doctoral Program) , 3Term, Biomedical Science Seminar E

Research Activities

Academic Papers

  1. Effect of Cdk1 gene disruption on cell cycle progression in newt cells, Development Growth & Differentiation, 67(2), 85-93, 202502
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  2. Urodele amphibian newt bridges the missing link in evo-devo of the pancreas, Developmental Dynamics, 20250108
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  3. Effect of Cdk1 gene disruption on cell cycle progression in newt cells, DEVELOPMENT GROWTH & DIFFERENTIATION, 67(2), 85-93, 202502
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  4. Amphibian newts as experimental models for studying weight gain after castration, ENDOCRINE JOURNAL, 71(2), 181-191, 2024
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  5. Single-molecule tracking of Nanog and Oct4 in living mouse embryonic stem cells uncovers a feedback mechanism of pluripotency maintenance, EMBO JOURNAL, 42(18), 20230918
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  6. The crucial role of CTCF in mitotic progression during early development of sea urchin, DEVELOPMENT GROWTH & DIFFERENTIATION, 65(7), 395-407, 202309
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  7. Single-molecule tracking of Nanog and Oct4 in living mouse embryonic stem cells, bioRxiv, 20220808
    Link to Paper Search Results by DOI
  8. Improvement in image quality via the pseudo confocal effect in multidirectional digital scanned laser light-sheet microscopy, Optics Express, 29(15), 24278-24278, 20210719
  9. Pressure-induced changes on the morphology and gene expression in mammalian cells, Biology Open, 10(7), 20210715
  10. From a young BSJ member: advanced technologies encouraged me to dive into biophysical field., Biophysical Reviews., 12(2), 205-206, 20200223
  11. Single cell analysis reveals a biophysical aspect of collective cell-state transition in embryonic stem cell differentiation, Scientific Reports, 8(11965), 20180810
  12. The use of a genetically encoded molecular crowding sensor in various biological phenomena, Biophysics and Physicobiology, 14, 119-125, 20170819
  13. Gene dynamics of core transcription factors for pluripotency in embryonic stem cells, J Biosci Bioeng, 119(4), 406-409, 20141103