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email: yamanaka_naoki@hotmail.com
In multicellular organisms, final body size is determined by two aspects of their growth: rate and duration. For example, downregulation of the insulin/IGF signaling pathway leads to the formation of small animals through reduction in the rate of cellular growth. In contrast, a shorter growth interval results in small adults whereas a longer growth period forms big individuals.
Insects are ideal model systems to investigate how these dual aspects of the growth are regulated, since its growth period is confined to the larval stages, which are clearly punctuated by molting and metamorphosis. My research goal is to elucidate the underlying regulatory mechanisms which control organismal growth by using insects. Of special interest is to identify the signaling pathways regulating growth duration, which are poorly understood compared to those regulating growth rate.