Isolation and functional analysis of genes controlling totipotency

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project Area: Program of totipotency: From decoding to designing
• Project/Area Number: 19H05750
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas (Research in a proposed research area)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Review Section: Biological Sciences
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: IKAWA MASAHITO 大阪大学, 微生物病研究所, 教授 (20304066)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 篠原 隆司 京都大学, 医学研究科, 教授 (30322770)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-06-28 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 実験動物 / 妊孕性 / 不妊 / ゲノム編集 / 受精

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Using a genome-edited gene knockout mouse approach, we were able to identify a number of factors that govern fertilization, the beginning of life. Furthermore, we have clarified the mechanism of lumicrine system, which controls sperm maturation in the epididymis necessary for the acquisition of fertilization ability. In addition, we revealed that germ line stem cells can be cultured for more than 5 years without losing their ability to differentiate into sperm and produce offspring, while their self-renewal requires a number of factors. Furthermore, we reported that when offspring are obtained by assisted reproduction techniques such as ICSI, malformations and other effects are observed over the generations.

Free Research Field

生殖生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

日本を含む先進諸国では約5組に1組のカップルが不妊に悩み、今は生殖補助医療のない世界は考えられない。本研究の成果は、自然な受精を担保する精子・卵形成のメカニズムを分子レベルで明らかにした点で学術的意義が高く、また生殖補助技術の礎となる知見を得たことは実験動物・畜産動物だけでなく不妊症診断・治療法開発に繋がる点で社会的意義がある。なお、生殖補助医療による次世代・次々世代への影響という負の視点をもたらした点においては、今後の生殖補助医療を考える上で軽視することはできない問題を提起した。