Rhombomeric origin and differentiation of the cochlear nucleus cell types

• Project/Area Number: 26430026
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Neurophysiology / General neuroscience
• Research Institution: Nagoya Bunri University
• Principal Investigator: Nartita Yuichi 名古屋文理大学, 健康生活学部, 教授 (40360614)
• Research Collaborator: RIJLI Filippo Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2018)
• Budget Amount: ¥5,070,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,170,000); Fiscal Year 2017: ¥1,560,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥360,000); Fiscal Year 2016: ¥1,040,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥240,000); Fiscal Year 2015: ¥780,000 (Direct Cost: ¥600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥180,000); Fiscal Year 2014: ¥1,690,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥390,000)
• Keywords: 蝸牛神経核 / ロンボメア / How / cell type / 免疫染色 / 神経投射

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Using multiple antibody staining over the mouse whose specific rhombomere was genetically labelled, it is clarified that a part of the cochlear nucleus cell types differentiates from specific rhombomere. By analyzing the cell type distribution in the cochlear nucleus in the mutant mice whose rhombomeric information were modified, the lack of a part of cell types was found. All the results in this study support the hypothesis that the rhombomeric origin is the key in the differentiation of the cell types in the cochlear nucleus.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

聴覚障害の多くは内耳や内耳神経の異常によるものであるが、症状が進行したケースでは、蝸牛神経核の神経細胞も壊死している場合がある。現在、このような場合には、有効な治療法がない状態であるが、本研究で解明の手がかりをつかむことができた蝸牛神経核のcell type分化の分子メカニズムが解明できれば、ES細胞やiPS細胞から多様なcell typeを再生することが可能になる。このように、本研究で得られた知見は、将来的な聴覚再生医療の手法確立の目的にも有用なものである。