Visualizing and controlling cellular "tweets"

• Project/Area Number: 25870413
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Morphology/Structure; Cell biology
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: MIYAZAWA Seita 大阪大学, 生命機能研究科, 助教 (10377905)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2015)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,290,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥990,000); Fiscal Year 2014: ¥2,210,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥510,000); Fiscal Year 2013: ¥2,080,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥480,000)
• Keywords: パターン形成 / 模様パターン

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To explore the potential role in pattern formation processes as one of the possible cell-cell communication protocols, the shifts of cellular membrane potential were examined. We generated transgenic zebrafish expressing voltage-sensitive fluorescent probes in pigment cells. We also developed an individual tracking and irradiation system that can optically and separately stimulate the left and right side of the body, which enables the analysis of the effects of membrane potential on the pigment pattern formation.