Construction of hepatic tissue model by developing synthetic biological systems

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project Area: Synthetic biology for the comprehension of biomolecular networks
• Project/Area Number: 23119003
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas (Research in a proposed research area)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Review Section: Complex systems
• Research Institution: Tokyo Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: Tagawa Yoh-ichi 東京工業大学, 生命理工学研究科, 准教授 (70262079)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): MIYAGAWA Shinichi 信州大学, 医学部, 教授 (80229806)
• Project Period (FY): 2011-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 肝 / 肝細胞 / 内皮細胞 / 星細胞 / 分化 / 肝幹細胞 / ES細胞

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To construct an in vitro model of hepatic tissue organogenesis by developing synthetic biological systems, we challenged to establish an adequate platform for synthetic approach in mammalian. Gene expression analysis was carried out at several liver developmental stages in mouse. Next, a hepatic endothelial cell strain was established as support cell for hepatic differentiation of mouse ES cells. To prepare in vitro system corresponding to early hepatic development period, conditional expression system of LIF and activin was constructed and was introduced into endothelial cell line to keep undifferentiation and endodermal differentiation of mouse ES cell, respectively. Mouse hepatic progenitor cells were cultured and differentiated to mature hepatocytes or cholagiocytes under the laminar flow-supplied different medium conditions in a same micro-fluidic device. In conclusion, we could show an adequate example as platform in consideration of cross talk for synthetic biology in mammal.

Free Research Field

生体医工学