Role of growth factors and morphogens in cell differentiation

项目活动：1999年1月4日至10日，库珀访问了德岛大学。他主要与板仓教授就胰淀素在糖尿病及精神分裂症发病机制的角色进行合作研究。他还为医学生和研究生做了讲座。3月16日至20日，Arase，Itakura和Kokuji访问了Gackland大学。给研究生们发了一封电子邮件，然后与所有成员举行了这个研究项目的闭幕会议。最后，我们决定不仅要交流研究信息，而且要交流相应部门之间的学生和研究生。研究概要：Arase已经发现了8个人类毛乳头特异性基因，现在正在通过开发敲除动物来研究它们的功能。板仓开发了β细胞相关基因的转基因和敲除动物，以精确阐明这些基因产物的功能。Kawano和Kokuo从HLA不匹配的供体中开发了外周血干细胞移植疗法。他们用他们的方法治疗了患有血液学恶性肿瘤的儿童和成人患者。Merriless研究了动脉粥样硬化形成与蛋白多糖之间的关系，发现TGF-β可增强内皮细胞产生蛋白多糖。绿色发现缝隙连接在伤口愈合中起重要作用。库珀发现Arnylin与糖尿病、精神分裂症之间存在密切关系。Crosiers发现了已知的发育期酪氨酸激酶基因，并固定了它们的全长DNA序列。France和Kobalek研究了早产与母体血清CRH、激活素A和卵泡抑素水平之间的关系，但没有发现相关性。

Project activity : In 1999, Cooper visited The University of Tokushima from Jan.4 to 10. He had a close meeting mainly with Prof Itakura on collaborative research works about the roles of amylin on the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus and schizophrenia. He also gave a lecture to medical students and postgraduate students. Arase, Itakura and Kosaka visited The University of Gackland from March 16 to 20. gave seminors to postgraduate students, then had closing meetings of this research project with all members. Finally, we decided to exchange not only research informations but also students and postgraduate students between the corresponding departments.Researctr summary : Arase has found 8 human dermal papilla specific genes and now studing functions of them by developing knock-out animals. Itakura developed both beta cells related genes' transgenic and knockout animal's to precisely elucidate functions of those gene products. Kawano and Kosaka developed peripheral blood stem cells transplantation therapy from HLA mismatched donners. They treaLed both pediatric and adult patients with haeniatological malignancies using their methods. Merriless studied the relationship between the formation of atherosclerosis and proteoglycans and found TGF-beta enhances the proteoglycans production by endothelial cells. Green found an important role of gap junction in wound healing. Cooper found a close relation between arnylin and diabctes mellitus, schizophrenia. Crosiers found knew developiriental tyrosine kinase genes and fixed their full length DNA sequence. France and Kosaka studied the relationship between premature birthand maternal serum levels of CRH, activin-A and follistatin but found no association.