Behavioral analyses of genes and cells in early mammalian development

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project Area: Cell Community in early mammalian development
• Project/Area Number: 21116005
• 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: National Institute for Basic Biology
• Principal Investigator: FUJIMORI Toshihiko 基礎生物学研究所, 初期発生研究部門, 教授 (80301274)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): TOYOOKA Yayoi 基礎生物学研究所, 初期発生研究部門, 助教 (20360597) ; KIMURA Hiroshi 東海大学, 工学部, 講師 (40533625) ; NIWA Hitoshi 独立行政法人理化学研究所, 多細胞システム形成研究センター, チームリーダー (80253730)
• Project Period (FY): 2009-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 哺乳類 / 初期発生 / 細胞分化 / ライブイメージング / 遺伝子発現

Outline of Final Research Achievements

During early mammalian development, the behaviors of cells, regulation of cell differentiation and patterns of gene expression are variable. It has not been uncovered how cell differentiation, formation of body axes and shapes of embryo are regulated in the cellular community within an embryo. We have been studying to reveal mechanisms underlying these regulations. We found the regulating mechanisms for cell differentiations are different depending on the steps of differentiation. Detailed molecular interaction was revealed by the analyses using embryonic stem cells. We established a series of transgenic mouse lines to visualize organelles with fluorescent proteins. We also developed new microscope systems for the live imaging of developing mouse embryos. Monoclonal antibodies against molecules expressed in mouse blastocyst were made, and the micro devices were developed for the screening of antibodies by immunostaining of blastocysts.

Free Research Field

発生生物学