Person
Matsui, Jonathan I.
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Biography and Research Interest
When sensory receptors in the eye (photoreceptors) and the ear (sensory hair cells) die through environmental stresses (e.g. certain drugs and listening to the iPod too loudly for too long), normal aging and genetics, this often causes irreversible blindness and deafness in humans. By understanding how these sensory receptors die, therapeutics may be designed to prevent their loss. Unfortunately, for one reason or another, this may not be practical. Regenerating these sensory receptors may be needed in order to help restore the lost senses. Non-mammalian vertebrates are capable of regenerating their sensory hair cells so understanding why the zebrafish (Danio rerio) found in many pet stores are capable of regenerating sensory hair cells may lead to therapies and restore the lost senses in humans.
Non-Zebrafish Publications
Matsui, J.I., Haque, A., Huss, D., Messana, E.P., Alosi, J.A., Roberson, D.W., Cotanche, D.A., Dickman, J.D., and Warchol, M.E. (2003) Hair Cell Function and Survival Following Aminoglycoside Treatment with Caspase Inhibitors in vivo. Journal of Neuroscience 23:6111-6122.Matsui, J.I., Ogilvie, J.M., and Warchol, M.E. (2002) Inhibition of Caspases Prevents Ongoing and Ototoxic Hair Cell Death. Journal of Neuroscience 22:1218-1227.
Warchol, M.E., Matsui, J.I., Simkus, E.L., and Ogilvie, J.M. (2001) Ongoing Cell Death and Immune Influences on Cell Division in the Vestibular Sensory Organs. In: Vestibular Labyrinth in Health and Disease (J.A. Goebel and S.M. Highstein, eds.), Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 942:34-45.
Matsui, J.I., Oesterle, E.C., Stone, J.S., and Rubel, E.W. (2000) Characterization of Damage and Regeneration in Cultured Avian Utricles. Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology 1:46-63.