Tatsuya Osaki

The goal of the research is to develop a complex in vitro neurovascular model including the neuromuscular junction for investigating neurodegenerative diseases. The platform is micro-engineered to include complex interactions between two or more muscle cells, endothelial cells and motor neurons. We grow these cells in 3D in a physiologically relevant extracellular matrix and subject the cells to appropriate mechanical stresses and strains as is found in contractile tissues like muscle tissue. Furthermore, patient derived –motor unit was also established using amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patient derived iPS cells to mimic pathological conditions of ALS. Using this platform, new drug candidate for ALS was screened by testing neurotoxicity.