Analysis for the functional significance of area and layer selective genes

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project Area: Neural Diversity and Neocortical Organization
• Project/Area Number: 22123009
• 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: Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (2014-2015); National Institute for Basic Biology (2010-2013)
• Principal Investigator: Yamamori Tetsuo 国立研究開発法人理化学研究所, 脳科学総合研究センター, チームリーダー (80260206)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 川口 泰雄 生理学研究所, 大脳皮質研究部門, 教授 (40169694) ; 窪田 芳之 生理学研究所, 大脳皮質機能研究系, 准教授 (90192567) ; 佐々木 哲也 国立精神・神経医療研究センター, 微細構造研究部, 研究員 (10634066) ; 木津川 尚史 大阪大学, 生命機能研究科, 准教授 (10311193)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): 坂野 仁 福井大学, 医学部, 特命教授 (90262154)
• Project Period (FY): 2010-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 大脳皮質 / 層 / 領野

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We identified the two group of genes that are selectively expressed in the primate neocortical areas using large scale analysis: One group of the genes is specifically expressed in the association areas and the other is specifically expressed in the primary visual area. In this study, we found the following results during the term. (1) We examined the promotor region of the association area selective genes and found highly methylated while that of the primary visual area is little methylated. We then found that MBD4 regulated the association selectively expressed genes (PNMA5 and RBP4). (2) We confirmed the existence of the ocular dominance column in the primary visual cortex in marmosets using immediate early gene expression. (3) We developed the virus vector systems so that we are able to apply the systems to the primate neocortex.

Free Research Field

分子脳科学