Water metabolism and vasopressin

I received the Distinguished Endocrinologist Award of the Japan Endocrine Society (JES) in 2015. This prize remarked my career of university work for the last 40 years, and I deeply appreciate for the members of selection committee.

I had experienced clinical research of water and extracellular fluid management and its abnormalities, and basic research regarding physiology and pathology of arginine vasopressin (AVP) and water channel aquaporin 2 (AQP2) in kidney. Fortunately, I had been focusing a series of the water metabolism, particularly impaired water excretion and hyponatremia, in my research career. During my university work, I fortunately had several key persons I met at the turning points. Also, both newly developed techniques and discovery of new substances and molecules had strongly supported to develop my research.

Particularly, there were two doctors who supervised my research. Prof. Sho Yoshida initially taught me the future of AVP research in 1976. Prof. Robert Schrier had supervised me to study water metabolism at his laboratory in Denver, Colorado 1980 through 1983 (Fig. 1). They gave me an academic affection a lot, and thereafter I had continued the field of pathophysiological roles of vasopressin in impaired water excretion in various pathological states. Prof. Sei Sasaki, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, is the most valuable associate in developing my research. He is my friend since 1980. We worked in different laboratories at the same time in the United States. He worked in Prof. Donald Seldin’s laboratory in University of California at San Francisco, and I worked in Prof. Schrier’s laboratory in University of Colorado, Denver. In 1993 Prof. Sasaki discovered AQP2 water channel localized in renal collecting duct cells, and it is specially responded to AVP as an effector in apical plasma membrane of renal collecting duct cells. Thereafter, AQP2 was added into our research theme in the second half of my research career.

Fig. 1

The Picture with Dr. Robert Schrier at the party after the 24^th JES Clinical Update on Endocrinology & Metabolism, November 2014. (from left) Dr. Yoshitaka Yamamura, Author, Mrs. Schrier, Dr. Schrier and Dr. Mamiko Ohara.

Also, our research projects of water metabolism and AVP had successively advanced dependently upon the development of analytical techniques. Initially, we were familiar with the in vivo technique, and thereafter we obtained the in vitro systems. After 1980s molecular biology has extensively developed, and its related techniques could be timely available in our laboratory. Also, in an opposite way we had examined the newly obtained evidences from cellular and molecular biology into the in vivo system and clinical circumstances. In addition, it is no doubt of value that all of radioimmunoassay, in vivo animal models, development of AVP receptor antagonists, discovery of AQP2 water channel and so on have great affection on our research as well.

The JES has a remarkable contribution to the members’ academic activity. It is likely that the members ride on the JES ship together, and the society autonomically brings us to the higher stage of scientific circumstances. Newly joined members who are interested in Endocrinology and Metabolism would make a sustainable field of their own research, in parallel with widely learning clinical endocrinology. I feel that it is better to seek the basic interest originated from own clinical observations. This is the best way to obtain your own favorite academic world. Your efforts could not only affect your excellent career on own research, but also contribute to the progress of the JES.

Biographies

San-e Ishikawa

Honorary Member

Professor-Emeritus, Jichi Medical University

E-mail: [e-mail]

Careers in JES

2019– Honorary Member

2015– Senior Councilor

1986– Councilor

1976– Member

Activities in JES

2014 Chair, 24^th JES Clinical Update on Endocrinology & Metabolism

2014 Chair, 15^th Annual Meeting of JES Kanto-Koshin-Etsu Regional Branch

JES Awards

2018 EJ Excellent Paper Award

2015 Distinguished Endocrinologist Award

1992 12^th JES Research Award

Contributions to EJ

2015–2020 Editor