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How we humans lost a tail?: Investigation of tail morphogenetic process in short-tailed amniotes during embryonic development

Research Project

Project/Area Number 18K15008
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists

Allocation TypeMulti-year Fund
Review Section Basic Section 48010:Anatomy-related
Research InstitutionOsaka City University

Principal Investigator

Tojima Sayaka  大阪市立大学, 大学院医学研究科, 助教 (10792830)

Project Period (FY) 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
Project Status Completed (Fiscal Year 2020)
Budget Amount *help
¥4,160,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥960,000)
Fiscal Year 2020: ¥1,040,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥240,000)
Fiscal Year 2019: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥300,000)
Fiscal Year 2018: ¥1,820,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥420,000)
Keywordsしっぽ / 発生 / 退縮 / 尾部退縮 / 有羊膜類 / Human tail / 細胞死 / 体節 / 尾部 / 尻尾 / ニワトリ胚 / ハムスター胚
Outline of Final Research Achievements

Tail length is considered as an important feature indicating adaptation and evolution. However, the mechanisms by which it is determined during development has not been clarified. Thus, I performed 3 different research projects for clarification of the tail reduction mechanism during embryonic development. From the first project using chicken embryos, I found that apoptosis in the caudal neural tube is possibly important for tail reduction. Additionally, the findings from the second project showed that tail reduction was broadly observed in short-tailed amniote species. This suggested that this developmental mechanism might be highly preserved in multiple taxa. These findings were helpful not only to understand developmental process but also a congenital anomaly known as “human tail”. This anomaly has been believed to be caused by aberration of tail reduction since the 1900’s. However, my study regarding tail reduction has revealed that the previous hypothesis is not correct.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、多様な系統群で尾部形態形成を観察することで、胚発生過程において生じる尾部退縮が尾部形態形成に重要であることを示した点で新規的である。また、短尾という極端な形質をもつ有羊膜類において尾部退縮という発生現象が幅広く保存されている可能性が高いことは、進化を考える上で興味深い知見を提供したと言える。さらに、生物学的研究意義の高さに留まらず、基礎的知見をヒト先天異常の要因解明という臨床応用に昇華させた点でも大きな意義をもつ。

Report

(4 results)
  • 2020 Annual Research Report   Final Research Report ( PDF )
  • 2019 Research-status Report
  • 2018 Research-status Report
  • Research Products

    (6 results)

All 2021 2020 2019 Other

All Journal Article (2 results) (of which Peer Reviewed: 2 results) Presentation (3 results) (of which Invited: 2 results) Remarks (1 results)

  • [Journal Article] A tale of the tail: a comprehensive understanding of the “human tail”2021

    • Author(s)
      Tojima Sayaka
    • Journal Title

      Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society

      Volume: -

    • Related Report
      2020 Annual Research Report
    • Peer Reviewed
  • [Journal Article] Classification of the "human tail" : Correlation between position, associated anomalies, and causes2020

    • Author(s)
      Tojima Sayaka、Yamada Shigehito
    • Journal Title

      Clinical Anatomy

      Volume: 33 Issue: 6 Pages: 929-942

    • DOI

      10.1002/ca.23609

    • NAID

      120007099105

    • URL

      https://ocu-omu.repo.nii.ac.jp/records/2019769

    • Related Report
      2020 Annual Research Report
    • Peer Reviewed
  • [Presentation] 短尾有羊膜類の尾部形態形成:伸びて止まって、そして縮む2021

    • Author(s)
      東島沙弥佳
    • Organizer
      第42回肉眼解剖懇話会 (第126回日本解剖学会総会・全国学術総会)
    • Related Report
      2020 Annual Research Report
    • Invited
  • [Presentation] ヒト胚発生過程における尾部退縮過程の解明2020

    • Author(s)
      東島沙弥佳
    • Organizer
      第60回日本先天異常学会学術集会
    • Related Report
      2020 Annual Research Report
    • Invited
  • [Presentation] 尾長の異なる齧歯類3種における尾部形態形成過程の比較2019

    • Author(s)
      東島沙弥佳、中島佑夏、西川晴花、中島裕司
    • Organizer
      第124回日本解剖学会総会
    • Related Report
      2018 Research-status Report
  • [Remarks]

    • URL

      https://tojima-anthro-japanese.jimdofree.com/

    • Related Report
      2020 Annual Research Report

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Published: 2018-04-23   Modified: 2022-01-27  

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