| Project/Area Number |
03833001
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for General Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Research Field |
分子細胞生物学
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| Research Institution | University of Tsukuba, Institute of Applied Biochemistry |
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Principal Investigator |
UENO Naoto University of Tsukuba, Institute of Applied Biochemistry, Assistant professor, 応用生物化学系, 講師 (40221105)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
NISHIMATSU Shinichiro University of Tsukuba, Institute of Applied Biochemistry, Research associate, 応用生物科学系, 助手 (20222185)
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| Project Period (FY) |
1991 – 1992
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| Project Status |
Completed (Fiscal Year 1992)
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| Budget Amount *help |
¥1,800,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,800,000)
Fiscal Year 1992: ¥500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥500,000)
Fiscal Year 1991: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,300,000)
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| Keywords | Xenopus laevis / mesoderm induction / growth factors / TGF-beta / cell differentiation / receptor / 初期発生 / 胚誘導 / アクティビン / TGFーβ / レセプタ- |
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| Research Abstract |
Growth factors have been implicated in the regulation of early development. Although activin,a member of TGF-beta related growth factor family was discovered as a stimulator of FSH secretion from pituitary cells,it has recently been shown to induce mesodermal tissues from presumptive ectoderm of Xenopus laevis. In order to understand more precisely the molecular mechanism of the mesoderm induction,we have screened a genomic DNA library of Xenopus laevis with rat activin betaALPHA gene as a probe. We have isolated 5 independent genes and one of the genes was found to be encoding a protein closely related to mammalian activin. Interestingly,the rest of the gene contained an amphibian counterpart of mammalian bone morphogenetic proteins, which was purifed based on their ability to induce ectopic bone formation in vivo. Eventually,we isolated cDNAs of Xenopus activin,BMP-2,-4 and -7.
Functional analysis has been performed for the growth factor cDNAs by injecting their RNA into early blastomeres early Xenopus embryos to see the effect of overexpression of their gene product. Overexpression of activin in ventral half resulted in duplication of body axis,suggesting that activin play a role in dorsalization. On the other hand,over expression of BMP-4 in dorsal half inhibited the formation of anterior and dorsal structure,suggesting that BMP may be important for ventralization. These results suggest that activin and BMP have distinct role in pattern formation of early embryos.
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