Epithelial stem cells: cellular dynamics and future use in regenerative therapy

• Project/Area Number: 18K14709
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 44020:Developmental biology-related
• Research Institution: Kumamoto University (2019); University of Tsukuba (2018)
• Principal Investigator: Sada Aiko 熊本大学, 国際先端医学研究機構, 特任准教授 (80779059)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2019)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,160,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥960,000); Fiscal Year 2019: ¥2,080,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥480,000); Fiscal Year 2018: ¥2,080,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥480,000)
• Keywords: 上皮幹細胞 / 口腔粘膜上皮 / 表皮幹細胞 / 幹細胞ニッチ / 細胞系譜解析 / オミクス解析 / バイオエンジニアリング / 再生医療 / 三次元培養 / 皮膚科学 / ニッチ / 幹細胞老化 / 組織幹細胞 / 再生 / 口腔

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The development of in vitro culture of primary keratinocytes and transplantation of epidermal autografts led to the first breakthrough for skin tissue engineering. However, it still remains a major scientific and clinical challenge to engineer complete skin substitutes that contain both epidermal and dermal components. Our work provided cellular and molecular basis of stem cell dynamics in skin and oral epithelia, which will lead the future development of new tissue engineering targets and strategies for tissue regeneration.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

皮膚の表皮幹細胞は高い再生能を持ち、重症熱傷の治癒を目的とした移植医療に古くから利用されてきたが、結合組織も含めた複雑な皮膚の構造を完全に再生することは技術的に困難である。一方、口腔粘膜上皮は、角膜移植の細胞ソースとして広く使われ、再生医療の観点からも利用価値が高いが、幹細胞の基礎的特性の理解が遅れている。本研究は、上皮幹細胞の性質や制御メカニズムを包括的に理解し、より高度な再生医療の実現を目指す。幹細胞の増殖や分化に最適な凹凸構造を同定することは、将来的に、より質の良い人工皮膚の形成などにつながることが期待される。

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Wild-type and SAMP8 mice show age-dependent changes in distinct stem cell compartments of the interfollicular epidermis (2019)
  • Author(s): Changarathil Gopakumar、Ramirez Karina、Isoda Hiroko、Sada Aiko、Yanagisawa Hiromi
  • Journal Title: PLOS ONE Volume: 14 Issue: 5 Pages: e0215908-e0215908
  • DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0215908
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Journal Article] Wild-type and SAMP8 mice show age-dependent changes in distinct stem cell compartments of the interfollicular epidermis. (2019)
  • Author(s): 1.Changarathil G, Ramirez K, Isoda H, Sada A*, Yanagisawa H
  • Journal Title: PLoS One Volume: 印刷中
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Presentation] 組織の再生と老化を担う上皮幹細胞のはたらき (2019)
  • Author(s): 佐田 亜衣子
  • Organizer: 第42回分子生物学会年会シンポジウム
• [Presentation] 表皮における幹細胞ダイナミクス (2018)
  • Author(s): 佐田亜衣子
  • Organizer: 第91回日本生化学会大会
  • Invited
• [Presentation] Maintenance of heterogeneous epidermal stem cell populations by the distinct niche. (2018)
  • Author(s): Lalhaba Oinam
  • Organizer: Gordon Research Conference, Tissue Niches & Resident Stem Cells in Adult Epithelia
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Book] Epidermal stem cell lineages. (2019)
  • Author(s): Oinam L, Changarathil G, Ngo YX, Yanagisawa H, Sada A*
  • Total Pages: 42
  • Publisher: Advances in Stem Cells and their Niches
  • ISBN: 9780128184462
• [Remarks] 佐田亜衣子のウェブサイト
  • URL: https://www.aikosada.com