Abstract
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Dr. Ogawa was born on May 10, 1928 in Shiga Prefecture, Japan. After graduation from Kyoto University Faculty of Medicine and obtaining a medical practitioner's license, he went to the United States in 1955 for internship at the New York Polyclinic Medical School and Hospital. In 1956, he moved to The University of Texas Medical Branch, Tissue Metabolism Research Laboratory, as Research Associate, and in 1957 became a Rockefeller Foundation Fellow at the same laboratory. In 1958 he became an NIH Fellow at the Montefiore Hospital Division of Neuropathology, which at that time was affiliated with the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. Dr. Ogawa returned to Japan and became Assistant Professor at Kobe Medical University in 1959, moved to Kyoto University Faculty of Medicine in 1960, and was promoted to Associate Professor in 1963. From 1963 to 1964 he returned to the United States as an Eleanor Roosevelt International Cancer Foundation Fellow in the Department of Anatomy, Yale University School of Medicine. In 1964 he became Professor at Kansai Medical University and then Professor at Kyoto University Faculty of Medicine in 1976, where he served until his retirement in 1992.
Dr. Ogawa was one of the pioneers in the development of electron microscopic histochemistry and cytochemistry. When he started his research, histochemistry was largely confined to the light microscope. He developed many useful enzyme histochemical techniques by inventing original methods or by adapting light microscopic methods to the electron microscope in ingenious manners. The list of his contributions includes the copper ferrocyanide method to detect dehydrogenases (1968), and the lead citrate method to visualize phosphatase activities, such as alkaline phosphatase (1967), and K+-dependent nitrophenyl phosphatase (Na+, K+-ATPase) (1980). He recognized early the importance of using thin sections to obtain reliable enzyme histochemical reaction (1968). The enzyme histochemical methods he described have been used worldwide and have contributed greatly to elucidation of the physiological functions of enzymes. Dr. Ogawa also developed an analytical color fluorescence electron microscope (1986) that can detect innate cathodoluminescent emission from biological and nonbiological materials. These technical developments led to new discoveries in cell biology. He discovered a new pathway of autophagy and named it the “lysosomal wrapping mechanism” (1972). More recently, he reported a special type of lysosome, which he termed the “nematolysosome” (1989). During his productive career, he published some 100 books and 500 scientific papers.
His contributions to histochemistry, electron microscopy, cell biology, and anatomy were widely recognized and he received several prestigious awards, including the Seto Award from the Japanese Society for Electron Microscopy (1973), the Marcinkowski Medal from Poznan Medical School (Poland) (1988), the Pioneer's Award from the International Federation of Societies for Histochemistry and Cytochemistry (1988), and the Distinguished Contribution Award from the Japan Society of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry (1989). He was an Honorary Member of the Histochemical Society.
In addition to his research activities, Dr. Ogawa was most effective in leading academic societies and organizing scientific meetings. He was Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Japan Society of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry from 1984 to 1992, providing strong leadership for the Society. He served as Secretary General (1980–1984) and President (1984–1988) of the International Federation of Societies for Histochemistry and Cytochemistry and as Executive Committee Member of the International Federation of Societies for Electron Microscopy (1987–1994).
Dr. Ogawa was involved in organizing more than 40 international and domestic academic meetings. To name a few, he served as Secretary General for the 4th International Congress of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry in Kyoto (1972) and was President Emeritus of the 10th International Congress of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry in Kyoto (1996). He was President and Chairman of the Organizing Committee at the 11th International Congress on Electron Microscopy in Kyoto (1986). He also served as Japanese President and Chairman of the Organizing Committee for the U.S.-Japan Joint Meeting of Anatomists in San Diego (1993). He was instrumental in initiating the joint meetings of the Histochemical Society and the Japan Society of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry.
Dr. Ogawa also demonstrated an outstanding talent in editing and publishing academic journals. He served as an editor of nine international and domestic journals, including the Journal of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry (1979–1987) and Histochemistry (1977–1991). He was Editor-in-Chief of Acta Histochemica et Cytochemica from 1971 to 1983 and was Editor Emeritus until his death.
Dr. Ogawa had many students from different nations, including China, India, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Czechoslovakia, and Germany. He had a lasting impact on anatomy and cell biology in Japan; seven of his previous students now occupy chairs in medical schools.
His motto in research was, “Frontiers of science can only be broadened by development of new methods.” Therefore, he insisted that each of his students should attempt to develop a new method or to improve existing ones. He frequently told his students, “There are four important attributes to be a good scientist: Un, Don, Kon, and Kan,” which can be translated into English as “Fortune, Endurance, Perspiration, and Inspiration.”
Dr. Ogawa was taller than the average Japanese man, and he always talked in a distinct and perhaps even in a loud voice. People who did not know him well therefore tended to think of him as a rather forceful man. In truth, however, he was a man with a delicate mind. Sometimes he gave a sharp scolding to his students, but this was always followed by heartfelt encouragement, both psychological and practical. He was also a very kind and generous man to his colleagues; when he was asked for a favor he was ready to help, even if he was extremely busy.
He started to learn calligraphy at the age of 60, and obtained mastership in a few years. He liked to draw adages cited from the old Chinese literature, and to give the best examples to his students on commemorative occasions. His other hobby, begun during his youth, was photography; his favorite objects were little flowers in the field and grand scenic views, especially in China.
Dr. Ogawa was devoted to his family. He is survived by his wife, Yoko Ogawa, by three sons, Kazuoki, Kazuto, and Kazuteru, and by three grandchildren.
Dr. Kazuo Ogawa was a founding father of the Japanese Society for Histochemistry and Cytochemistry in a real sense, who nurtured its development with exceptional zeal and meticulous care. His death marks the end of an era for histochemists, especially those in Japan. No one who had the good fortune of being his friend, colleague, or student will ever forget the giant steps of this big man.