Moleuclar mechanism for the formation and maintenance of epithelial tubulogenesis with branching

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project Area: Regulation of polarity signaling during morphogenesis, remodeling, and breakdown of epithelial tubular structure
• Project/Area Number: 23112004
• 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: Kikuchi Akira 大阪大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 教授 (10204827)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): FUMOTO KATSUMI 大阪大学, 大学院医学系研究科, 助教 (40467783)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): MATSUMOTO SHINJI 大阪大学, 大学院医学系研究科, 特任助教 (20572324)
• Project Period (FY): 2011-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 上皮菅腔組織形成 / 極性 / シグナル伝達 / Arl4c / Dkk1 / Wnt / EGF / CKAP4

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this research project, we aimed to clarify the molecular mechanisms of epithelial tubular formation. Using three dimensionally cultured epithelial cell lines and primary organs, including ureters, lung, and salivary glands, from fetal mice, several model systems for analyzing tubular formation induced by growth factor signaling were generated. We identified several critical regulators in tubular formation downstream of the growth factor signaling, and proposed their cellular functions in epithelial cell morphology, polarity, growth, differentiation and adhesion. Interestingly, they were also overexpressed in various human cancers and associated with prognosis. Therefore, our new approaches prompt us to identify previously unrecognized novel molecular therapeutic targets for cancer.

Free Research Field

生化学