Analysis of spatio-temporal information processing in immune cells

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K12138
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Life / Health / Medical informatics
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Sawai Satoshi 東京大学, 大学院総合文化研究科, 教授 (20500367)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 片桐 晃子 北里大学, 理学部, 教授 (00322157) ; 木梨 達雄 関西医科大学, 医学部, 教授 (30202039)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 走化性 / 免疫細胞 / 数理モデル / 生命情報

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The project aimed to understand cellular sensory perception of migrating immune cells with an emphasis on spatio-temoral dynamics. Microfluidics gradient chamber was employed to generate a bell-shaped gradient, and by precise flow control, it was propagated in space at a specified speed. We found that neutrophil-like HL60 cells exhibit specific and assymetric migratory patterns depending on the spatio-temporal property of the imposed dynamic gradients . We analyzed spatio-temporal dynamics of the major signaling components relative to the observed migratory response by employing live cell time lapse imaging of cells expressing FRET-sensors and other fluorescent marker proteins. The obtained signaling response suggests close relation between the observed migratory behavior and the spatio-temporal property of the signaling activities.

Free Research Field

定量生物学