Discovery of Muse Cells
Our laboratory discovered a new type of pluripotent stem cells from adult human mesenchymal tissue: the multilineage-differentiating stress-enduring (Muse) cell. Some less complex animals have a high regenerative capacity-they can reproduce an array of organs or even the entire body, and pluripotent stem cells present in their mesenchymal tissues play a critical role in the regenerative process. More complex animals, on the other hand, have generally exchanged regenerative ability for a wide range of evolutionary advantages. Therefore, the discovery of the Muse cell in humans has many biological and medical implications, and the human body may have a greater regenerative potential than one might have ever imagined. In collaboration with major national and international institutions, we are promoting research on Muse cell-based regenerative medicine for diseases without definitive treatments. We are also interested in exploring the differences in regenerative capacity between less and more complex animals from the viewpoint of the stem-cell system.
Research Is Too Fun To Stop
People like to carry on doing what they love. Ideally, research ought to start from genuine interest and enjoyment in science, rather than from a sense of obligation or duty. Intellectual curiosity is our key driving motive, and it makes scientific research even more fun. Of course, a research career is not an easy road to travel, but is instead a succession of obstacles encountered and solutions devised. This is logical, because we are trying to reveal the unknown. If we knew the conclusions beforehand, science would simply consist of classroom exercises. The more hardship and trouble there is, the greater the joy of overcoming these challenges. When the outcomes are contradictory to our expectations, a series of "whys" come up and invite us to new challenges. Research is so thrilling and exciting that ordinary pastimes are no match-especially when we get new successful results! Why don't you join our team and share fulfilling experiences with us?
- Mari Dezawa, MD, PhD.
- Professor and Chair, Division of Stem Cell Biology and Histology