News

Dr. Hiroshi Ohno, head of the Laboratory for Epithelial Immunobiology, has elucidated a new aspect of the pathogenesis of epilepsy by using gene targeting technique in mice.
Until now, mutations causing to epilepsy have been found only in the genes encoding the ion channels controlling neurotransmission and neurotransmitter receptors. The laboratory developed mice that lacked the AB-3B protein, whose expression is restricted in neurons. The mice suffered from epileptic seizures. The results will take research into the mechanisms of and treatments for epilepsy in new directions, and are expected to lead to important discoveries.
The research results were published in the October 25 issue of the US publication, Journal of Cell Biology.