ABSTRACT
First Person is a series of interviews with the first authors of a selection of papers published in Journal of Cell Science, helping researchers promote themselves alongside their papers. Hiroshi Otani is first author on ‘ Excess microtubule and F-actin formation mediates shortening and loss of primary cilia in response to a hyperosmotic milieu’, published in JCS. Hiroshi conducted the research described in this article while a PhD student in Koji Ikegami's lab at Hiroshima University, Japan. He is currently an undergraduate medical student at the same university. His interest lies with revealing details of cellular organelles though microscopy.
Hiroshi Otani
How would you explain the main findings of your paper in lay terms?
This research investigates kidney cell responses to different hydration levels. Our urine osmolarity in the collecting ducts constantly changes with hydration level throughout the day. Each epithelial cell of the collecting ducts in kidneys has an antenna-like structure called the primary cilium. Our question was whether these primary cilia of the collecting ducts undergo morphological changes with different osmotic pressures. We used immunocytochemistry and live-imaging techniques with microscopes to reveal the morphological changes of primary cilia and parts of their base structure, the pericentriolar material (PCM). We observed primary cilia shortening under a confocal microscope using live-imaging techniques.
Were there any specific challenges associated with this project? If so, how did you overcome them?
I attempted dual-channel time-lapse imaging to show hyperosmolarity-induced morphological changes of primary cilia and the PCM simultaneously. This dual-channel imaging was barely possible due to photobleaching issues. Moreover, a construct for a fluorescence-tagged PCM suffered from artifactual aggregation. However, I realized that the hyperosmolarity-induced morphological change of primary cilia and PCM didn't have to be shown using the dual-channel time-lapse imaging. The hypothesis that the PCM gets delocalized was eventually shown using time-coursed fixed samples. Despite the simplicity of the solution, it was a rabbit hole!
When doing the research, did you have a particular result or ‘eureka’ moment that has stuck with you?
When I was able to capture the time-lapse imaging of disappearing primary cilia with a confocal microscope.
Why did you choose Journal of Cell Science for your paper?
I like the quality of the papers published in JCS.
Have you had any significant mentors who have helped you beyond supervision in the lab? How was their guidance special?
My professor, Koji Ikegami. He was restless. Just like a warrior. He inspired and energized me whenever I got depressed. I really appreciate him.
What motivated you to pursue a career in science, and what have been the most interesting moments on the path that led you to where you are now?
Everything started from a chemistry teacher and his class I attended in high school. I enjoyed his scientific enthusiasm and people accurately describing their latest observations while respecting logics and mathematics. I wanted to be part of that.
What's next for you?
I'm in a special course called an MD-PhD course, where we take a leave of absence after finishing the fourth year of med school, finish a PhD course in three years and then get back to the fifth year of med school. I've just got back to med school last April and I'm still not sure in which field I will use my expertise, a more clinical field or a more basic research field.
Tell us something interesting about yourself that wouldn't be on your CV
Medicine is taught in Japanese in Japan for obvious reasons. However, I tried hard to learn medicine in English as well to make myself familiar with clinical terms for future research and clinical studies. I even answered all the exams in English until I took a leave of absence after finishing fourth year.
What did you learn through this work?
This is my thesis work. Throughout my PhD, I've learned that my own happiness plays a big role in my productivity. Figuring what kind of work makes me happy is my top priority right now. I'll figure out if I'll enjoy clinical work over the next few years.
Hiroshi Otani's contact details: 2-3, Kasumi 1-Chōme, Minami-Ku, Hiroshima-Shi, Hiroshima, Japan.
E-mail: [email protected]
