Supervisor
Yasutada IMAMURA: Professor

Our main concern is to explore the principal of tissue engineering. By using extracellular matrix (ECM), especially collagens, as cell culture substrate, animal cells are cultured to reconstruct tissue substitutes, such as capillary or dermis. We also study what roles ECM components play to maintain the homeostasis of organs/tissues in the body. Since cellular functions are controlled by ECM environment, new ECM components are explored for cell culture substrates. Proteins from snake venoms are used to perturbate the interaction between cells and ECM.

Topics of research
  • HUVEC cells cultured on Type IV collagen aggregates were found to maintain their differentiation state.
  • Collagen fibrils from Sea cucumber were useful for cell culture substrate.
keyword Extracellular Matrix / Cell culture / Collagen / snake venoms

Graduate School of Engineering