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Post-doctoral Fellow
Kosuke Tokunaga
Faculty of Agriculture; Nature Cluster, Institute for Asian and Oceanian Studies
Muscle, Science, Cell Biology, Developmental Biology Specialization
I study the development of gastrointestinal tissues in livestock using chickens as a model, with a particular focus on understanding the functions of smooth muscle cells responsible for gastrointestinal contraction. Drawing on my research experience, I aim to contribute to research on sustainable meat production and promote interdisciplinary and international collaboration.
Biography
Raised in Fukuoka, Japan.
2019 B.S., Department of Bioresource and Bioenvironment, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University
2026 Ph.D., Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences, Kyushu University
2026 Post-doctoral Fellow, Center for International Agricultural Education and Research, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University
2019 B.S., Department of Bioresource and Bioenvironment, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University
2026 Ph.D., Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences, Kyushu University
2026 Post-doctoral Fellow, Center for International Agricultural Education and Research, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University
Overview of Research
Understanding how tissues and cells develop and maintain their functions is important for improving livestock health and productivity. My research has focused on smooth muscle tissue in the chicken gizzard as a model to investigate the mechanisms regulating cell differentiation and function during development.
In particular, I have studied Connexin43 (Cx43), a gap junction protein involved in communication between cells, focusing on its expression and subcellular localization during development. By combining immunohistochemical analysis, three-dimensional imaging using confocal microscopy, and quantitative image analysis, I have investigated the relationship between the spatial organization of proteins and cellular function.
In the future, I hope that this research will provide fundamental knowledge that contributes to the development of healthy livestock and more efficient and sustainable production systems.
In particular, I have studied Connexin43 (Cx43), a gap junction protein involved in communication between cells, focusing on its expression and subcellular localization during development. By combining immunohistochemical analysis, three-dimensional imaging using confocal microscopy, and quantitative image analysis, I have investigated the relationship between the spatial organization of proteins and cellular function.
In the future, I hope that this research will provide fundamental knowledge that contributes to the development of healthy livestock and more efficient and sustainable production systems.
Affiliations with Academic Societies & Committee Activities
Japanese Society of Animal Science, Japan Poutry Science Association
Links, Personal Pages, Videos, etc.
researchmap
https://researchmap.jp/kosuke_tokunaga_19Key Achievements
- Kosuke Tokunaga, Shota Akimoto, Machiko Aiba, Mutsuki Nakagomi, Takahiro Suzuki, Ryuichi Tatsumi, Mako Nakamura. Connexin 43 is localized in gizzard smooth muscle cells during chicken development, The Journal of Poultry Science, 10.2141/jpsa.0220003, 2022
- Alaa Elgaabari, Atsuko Miyawaki-Kuwakado, Kosuke Tomimatsu, Qianmei Wu, Kosuke Tokunaga, Wakana Izumi, Takahiro Suzuki, Ryuichi Tatsumi, Mako Nakamura. Epigenetic effects induced by the ectopic expression of Pax7 in 3T3-L1, The journal of biochemistry, Volume 170, Issue 1, Pages 107-117, 2021
- Kosuke Tokunaga, Shota Akimoto, Wataru Mizunoya, Ryuichi Tatsumi and Mako Nakamura. The serum-free media allows chick gizzard smooth muscle cells in differentiated state, International Symposium on Agricultural, Food, Environmental and Life Sciences in Asia (AFELiSA), 2019, Tottori, Nov 2019.