Mechanisms underlying cell type diversity in the mouse neocortex

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project Area: Neural Diversity and Neocortical Organization
• Project/Area Number: 22123003
• 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: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Gotoh Yukiko 東京大学, 薬学研究科(研究院), 教授 (70252525)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): IMAYOSHI Itaru 京都大学, ウイルス研究所, 特定准教授 (60543296)
• Project Period (FY): 2010-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: ニューロンサブタイプ / クロマチン状態 / 神経幹細胞

Outline of Final Research Achievements

One of the fundamental questions in understanding tissue development is how multipotent progenitors/tissue stem cells give rise to various cell types in a defined order to achieve appropriate tissue organization. Neural stem/progenitor cells (NPCs) attract much attention since these cells give rise to neuronal and glial cell types in a developmental-stage dependent manner with striking precision. We have shown in this study that polycomb group (PcG) complex and high mobility group A (HMGA) proteins play pivotal roles in driving fate switches of NPCs during neocortical development. Also, we identified a mechanism that couples neuronal fate commitment and neuronal migration. Further, we found that TCF3 suppresses Wnt signaling and maintains the undifferentiated state of NPCs.

Free Research Field

分子生物学