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Developmental Biology of Hard Tissue

  • Related Key Words：
  • biology on bone，cartilage，and teeth
  • mineralization
  • osteoporosis
  • interaction with bone and other organs
Examples of images obtained in our laboratory are given below. Hard tissues such as bone, cartilage, and teeth have been analyzed using various histological and microstructural techniques. oc: osteoclast、ob: osteoblast、ocy: osteocyte


Department of Developmental Biology of Hard Tissue conducts studies on in vivo cell biology;  histology and development of the mineralized tissue, e.g., bone, cartilage,  and teeth; cell biology of bone and cartilage; histopathology of bone metabolism, including osteoporosis and osteomalacia; skeletal deformities and their genetic backgrounds; systemic/local mineral metabolism and ultrastructural mechanism of bone mineralization; and interactions with bone and other organs in the regulation of bone metabolism, including renal osteodystrophy and diabetic osteoporosis.

We use various techniques such as microscopic analysis, molecular biology, and biochemical analysis. We employ not only a conventional light and electron microscope but also various microscopic analysis equipment, super resolution microscopy such as STED and SIM, immuno-electron microscopy, elemental mapping by EPMA and EDX, isotope microscopy used in planetary science, and FIB-SEM for 3D reconstruction of ultrastructural  images.

Professor ：Norio AMIZUKA　　amizuka□den.hokudai.ac.jp
Associate Professor ：Tomoka HASEGAWA　　hasegawa□den.hokudai.ac.jp
Assistant Professor ：Hiromi HONGO　　hiromi□den.hokudai.ac.jp

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