Taeko Kobayashi

..An analysis of NF-kappaB dynamics suggests that the oscillation frequency of NF-kappaB activation determines which downstream genes are expressed, enabling a single pathway to respond to diverse stimuli in distinct ways...

..Thus, Hes1-null ES cells display less heterogeneity in both the differentiation timing and fate choice, suggesting that the cyclic gene Hes1 contributes to heterogeneous responses of ES cells even under the same environmental conditions...

..Our results indicate that sustained Hes1 expression delays the differentiation of ES cells and promotes the preference for the mesodermal rather than the neural fate by suppression of Notch signaling...

..We thus propose that VCP functions as a mediator for both aggregate formation and clearance depending upon the concentration of soluble aggregate-prone proteins, indicating dual VCP functions as an aggregate formase and an unfoldase...

..Thus, Hes genes play an essential role in neural development by regulating proliferation, differentiation and specification of neural stem cells...

..These results indicate that common amino acid residues are involved in both the transcriptional repressor activity and the instability of Hes7 protein, suggesting of a critical link between the transcription and degradation control...

..This primer describes these pleiotropic roles of Hes genes in some developmental processes and aims to clarify the basic mechanism of how gene networks operate in vertebrate embryogenesis...

..Taken together, these results suggest that Notch signaling can drive short-period oscillatory expression of Hes7 and Hes1 (ultradian oscillation) and that ultradian oscillations are important for many biological events...

..Excessive accumulation of misfolded proteins may inactivate p97/VCP in several neurodegenerative disorders, eventually leading to the neurodegenerations...