Takuya Sakaguchi, Ph.D.

Assistant Staff

Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine
9500 Euclid Avenue, NE30
Cleveland, Ohio 44195
Telephone: (216) 445-9280
Fax: (216) 636-5454
E-mail: sakagut2@ccf.org

Research Description:

Endothelial cells form blood vessels in the body and mediate essential metabolic exchange between blood and surrounding tissues.  However, recent studies indicate that, despite their role in blood circulation, these endothelial cells regulate many important biological processes, such as cell-fate decision during organogenesis and defining microenvironment for stem cell niches.   

Our lab uses zebrafish and focuses on the paracrine signaling betweeen endothelial cells and target tissue cells in the embryo and in adult organs.  We have previously demonstrated that, in zebrafish, signals from endothelial cells regulate apico-basal polarization of the contacting hepatocytes in the liver.  Utilizing this endothelial-hepatocyte interaction as a model, we will further apply cellular and genetic approaches to understand the roles of endothelial signals and guidance during liver organ formation and regeneration.  Ultimately, these studies shall help to gain new insights into human hepatic and vascular disease pathologies.

References:

  • Sakaguchi, T.*, Sadler, K.C., Crosnier, C., Stainier, D.Y.R.* (2008)  Endothelial signals modulate hepatocyte apico-basal polarization in zebrafish. Curr. Biol. 18(20):1565-1571.*Co-correspondence

  • Sakaguchi, T., Kikuchi, Y., Kuroiwa, A., Takeda, H., Stainier, D.Y.R. (2006)  The yolk syncytial layer regulates myocardial migration by influencing extracellular matrix assembly in zebrafish. Development 133(20):4063-4072

  • Kawamura, A., Koshida, S., Hijikata, H., Sakaguchi, T., Kondoh, H., and Takada, S. (2005) Zebrafish Hairy/Enhancer of split protein links FGF signaling to cyclic gene expression in the periodic segmentation of somites. Genes Dev. 19(10):1156-1161.

  • Takeuchi, M., Nakabayashi, J., Sakaguchi, T., Yamamoto, T.S., Takahashi, H., Takeda, H., and Ueno, N. (2003)  The prickle-related gene in vertebrates is essential for gastrulation cell movements. Curr. Biol. 13(8):674-679.

  • Sakaguchi, T., Mizuno, T., and Takeda, H. (2002)  Formation and patterning roles of the yolk syncytial layer. Results Probl. Cell Diff. 40:1-14.