Logic for the establishment and maintenance of macro-level robust gene expression in organs

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project Area: From molecules, cells to organs : trans-hierarchical logic for higher-order pattern and structures
• Project/Area Number: 22127002
• 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: TAKEDA Hiroyuki 東京大学, 理学(系)研究科(研究院), 教授 (80179647)
• Project Period (FY): 2010-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 器官形成 / メダカ / 体軸形成 / 転写因子 / 境界形成

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Compartment-based modularity is one of the important features in the development of multi-cellular organisms. We examined the mechanisms underlying the establishment and maintenance of the dorsal compartment in the somite, characterized by the expression of zic1/zic4 genes in the trunk region of medaka fish. We demonstrated that the dorsoventral boundary of this compartment is established by a special group of cells, called “boundary cells”. They are born in the region near the notochord and migrate out to the presumptive boundary. We also found that boundary cells finally differentiate into the horizontal myoceptum which mechanically dives the dorsal and ventral compartment of the somite. At later stages, the horizontal myoceptum could play an essential role in the maintenance of the compartment bourdary.

Free Research Field

発生遺伝学