Ichiro Masai
Professor
BSc, MSc, PhD (University of Tokyo)
Nationality
Japan
Education
1988 BSc, Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Tokyo,
1990 MSc, Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Tokyo
1994 PhD, Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Tokyo
Research and Professional Experience
1992 Research Associate, Laboratory of Genetics, University of Tokyo
1995 Research fellow (HFSP long-term fellowship), King’s College London
1998 Research fellow, RIKEN Brain Science Institute
2000 PRESTO researcher, JST
2001 Unit Leader, Masai Initiative Research Unit, RIKEN
2006 Principal Investigator, OIST
2011 Associate Professor, OIST Graduate University
2019 Professor, OIST Graduate University
Selected Publications
Iribarne, M., Hyde, D. R. and Masai, I. (2019) TNFa induces Müller glia to transition from non-proliferative gliosis to a regenerative response in mutant zebrafish presenting chronic photoreceptor degeneration. Front. Cell Dev. Biol. 7, 296. DOI:10.3389/fcell.2019.00296
Mochizuki, T., Kojima, Y., Nishiwaki, Y., Harakuni, T., and Masai, I. (2018) Endocytic trafficking factor VPS45 is essential for spatial regulation of lens fiber differentiation in zebrafish. Development, 145, pii dev170282.
Iribarne, M, and Masai, I. (2018) Do cGMP levels drive the speed of photoreceptor degeneraton? Adv. Exp. Med. Biol. 1074, 327-333.
Iribarne, M. and Masai, I. (2017) Neurotoxicity of cGMP in the vertebrate retina: from the initial research on rd mutant mice to zebrafish genetic approaches. J. Neurogenet. 31, 88-101.
Iribarne, M. Nishiwaki, Y., Nakamura, S., Araragi, M., Oguri, E. and Masai, I. (2017) Aipl1 is required for cone photoreceptor function and survival through the stability of Pde6c and Gc3 in zebrafish. Sci. Rep. 7:45962.
Mochizuki, T., Luo, Y. J. Tsai, H. F. Hagiwara, A., and Masai, I. (2017) Cell division and cadherin-mediated adhesion regulates lens epithelial cell movement in zebrafish. Development 144, 708 – 719.
Mochizuki, T., Suzuki, S., and Masai, I. (2014) Spatial pattern of cell geometry and cell division orientation in zebrafish lens epithelium. Biol. Open 3, 982 – 994.
Nishiwaki, Y., Yoshizawa, A., Kojima, Y., Oguri, E., Nakamura, S., Suzuki, S., Yuasa-Kawada, J., Kinoshita-Kawada, M., Mochizuki, T., and Masai, I. (2013). The BH3-only SNARE BNip1 mediates photoreceptor apoptosis in response to vesicular fusion defects. Dev. Cell 25, 374 – 387.
Imai, F., Yoshizama, A., Fujimori-Tonou, N., Masai, I. (2010) The ubiquitin proteasome system is required for cell-cycle progression of the lens epithelium and differentiation of lens fiber cells in zebrafish. Development 137, 3257-3268.
Yamaguchi M, Imai F, Tonou-Fujimori N, Masai I. (2010) Mutations in N-cadherin and a Stardust homolog, Nagie oko, affect cell-cycle exit in zebrafish retina. Mech. Dev. 127, 247-264.
Yamaguchi M, Fujimori-Tonou N, Yoshimura Y, Kishi T, Okamoto H, Masai I. (2008) Mutation of DNA primase causes extensive apoptosis of retinal neurons through the activation of DNA damage checkpoint and tumor suppressor p53. Development 135, 1247-1257.
Nishiwaki Y, Komori A, Sagara H, Suzuki E, Manabe T, Hosoya T, Nojima Y, Wada H, Tanaka H, Okamoto H, Masai I. (2008) Mutation of cGMP phosphodiesterase 6alpha'-subunit gene causes progressive degeneration of cone photoreceptors in zebrafish. Mech. Dev. 125, 932-946.
Yamaguchi M, Tonou-Fujimori N, Komori A, Maeda R, Nojima Y, Li H, Okamoto H, Masai I. (2005). Histone deacetylase 1 regulates retinal neurogenesis in zebrafish by suppressing Wnt and Notch signaling pathways. Development 132, 3027-3043.
Masai I, Yamaguchi M, Tonou-Fujimori N, Komori A, Okamoto H. (2005) The hedgehog-PKA pathway regulates two distinct steps of the differentiation of retinal ganglion cells: the cell-cycle exit of retinoblasts and their neuronal maturation. Development 132, 1539-1553.
Masai I, Lele Z, Yamaguchi M, Komori A, Nakata A, Nishiwaki Y, Wada H, Tanaka H, Nojima Y, Hammerschmidt M, Wilson SW, Okamoto H. (2003) N-cadherin mediates retinal lamination, maintenance of forebrain compartments and patterning of retinal neurites. Development 130, 2479-2494.
Masai I, Stemple DL, Okamoto H, Wilson SW. (2000) Midline signals regulate retinal neurogenesis in zebrafish. Neuron 27, 251-263.
Masai I, Heisenberg CP, Barth KA, Macdonald R, Adamek S, Wilson SW. (1997) floating head and masterblind regulate neuronal patterning in the roof of the forebrain. Neuron 18, 43-57.
Masai I, Okazaki A, Hosoya T, Hotta Y. (1993) Drosophila retinal degeneration A gene encodes an eye-specific diacylglycerol kinase with cysteine-rich zinc-finger motifs and ankyrin repeats. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 90, 11157-11161.
Masai I, Hosoya T, Kojima S, Hotta Y. (1992) Molecular cloning of a Drosophila diacylglycerol kinase gene that is expressed in the nervous system and muscle. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 89, 6030-6034.