Otaki Joji

写真a

Title

Professor

Researcher Number(JSPS Kakenhi)

70360211
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Current Affiliation Organization 【 display / non-display 】

  • Duty   University of the Ryukyus   Faculty of Science   Chemistry, Biology and Marine Science   Professor  

  • Concurrently   University of the Ryukyus   Graduate School of Engineering and Science   Marine and Environmental Sciences   Professor  

  • Concurrently   University of the Ryukyus   Graduate School of Engineering and Science   Chemistry, Biology and Marine Science   Professor  

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University 【 display / non-display 】

  • 　
    -
    1992.03

    University of Tsukuba     Graduated

  • 　
    -
    1994.02

    University of Massachusetts at Amherst   Faculty of Science   Graduated

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Graduate School 【 display / non-display 】

  • 　
    -
    1997.10

    Columbia University    Doctor's Course (first term)  Completed

  • 　
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    1998.05

    Columbia University    Doctor's Course (first term)  Completed

  • 　
    -
    2000.05

    Columbia University  Graduate School, Division of Bioresearch  Doctor's Course  Completed

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Academic degree 【 display / non-display 】

  • Columbia University -  Ph.D.

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External Career 【 display / non-display 】

  • 2000.03
    -
    2001.05

    Postdoctoral fellow, University of Cambridge, Department of Medicine  

  • 2002.04
    -
    2006.02

    Kanagawa University, Assistant Professor  

  • 2006.03
    　
    　

    University of the Ryukyus, Faculty of Science, Department of Chemistry, Biology, and Marine Science, Cell and Functional Biology, Associate Professor  

  • 2006.03
    -
    2021.03

    University of the Ryukyus, Faculty of Science, Department of Chemistry, Biology, and Marine Science, Cell and Functional Biology, Associate Professor  

  • 2021.04
    　
    　

     

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Research Areas 【 display / non-display 】

  • Life Science / Developmental biology

  • Life Science / Molecular biology

  • Life Science / Animal physiological chemistry, physiology and behavioral biology

  • Life Science / Morphology and anatomical structure

  • Developmental Biology

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Research Theme 【 display / non-display 】

  • Color Pattern Formation in Butterfly Wings

  • Sequence decoding based on short constituent sequences in proteins

  • Study on Olfactory Sensory Neurons

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Published Papers 【 display / non-display 】

  • TRPA1 for Butterfly Eyespot Formation

    Ozaki, M; Otaki, JM

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES ( International Journal of Molecular Sciences )  27 ( 3 )   2026.01 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

    Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

  • Pharmacological Intervention of PIEZO1 for Butterfly Eyespot Color Patterns in Junonia orithya

    Ozaki M.

    Receptors Switzerland ( Receptors Switzerland )  4 ( 4 )   2025.12 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

    Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

    • Access this article
      DOI Open Access

  • Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Genetic Diversity in the Pale Grass Blue Butterfly After the Fukushima Nuclear Accident

    Toki, M; Taira, W; Sakauchi, K; Otaki, JM

    DIVERSITY-BASEL ( Diversity )  17 ( 10 )   2025.09 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

    Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

    • Access this article
      DOI Open Access

  • Mitochondrial Genetic Mutations in the Pale Grass Blue Butterfly: Possible DNA Damage via the Fukushima Nuclear Accident and Real-Time Molecular Evolution

    Toki, M; Taira, W; Sakauchi, K; Otaki, JM

    DIVERSITY-BASEL ( Diversity )  17 ( 4 )   2025.04 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

    Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

    • Access this article
      DOI Open Access

  • Wound Healing in Butterfly Pupal Wing Tissues: Real-Time In Vivo Imaging of Long-Range Cell Migration, Cluster Formation, and Calcium Oscillations

    Nagai, S; Otaki, JM

    INSECTS ( Insects )  16 ( 2 ) 1 - 34   2025.02 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

    Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

    　View Summary

    Insects can repair wounds and regenerate body parts in response to physical damage. Wound healing in butterfly pupal wing tissues is developmentally interesting because ectopic color patterns develop during healing, suggesting that normal and damage-induced color patterns may use similar mechanisms. Here we physiologically investigated wound healing and ectopic color pattern formation in butterfly pupal wing tissues using the blue pansy butterfly Junonia orithya. In response to physical puncture damage, various ectopic color patterns are formed around the damage site. After the wounding operation, we observed hemocytes migrating over long distances along the wing veins (lacunae) toward the damage site, where hemocytes and epidermal cells formed cellular clusters. Calcium oscillations were observed in cells at and near the damage site. Calcium oscillations were transiently affected by ruthenium red, an inhibitor of calcium transporters and channels, and ruthenium red caused various abnormalities in the scales of adult wings. These results suggest that cell migration, cluster formation, and calcium oscillations play important roles in wound healing and scale development at and near the damage site. Ectopic color patterns may develop in response to local calcium oscillations as a consequence of the evolutionary co-option of the healing process for normal development.

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Academic Awards 【 display / non-display 】

  • Fujii Award

    2011.09.23   Zoological Society  

  • Zoological Science Award

    2011.09.23   Zoological Society  

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