Pattern formation between the induction of whiskers and sensory nerves of mice

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K21352
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Developmental biology; Neurophysiology / General neuroscience
• Research Institution: Chiba University (2017); Aoyama Gakuin University (2015-2016)
• Principal Investigator: Ishida Kentaro 千葉大学, 大学院医学研究院, 助教 (20707898)
• Research Collaborator: MITSUI Toshiyuki 青山学院大学, 理工学部, 教授 (40406814)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 上皮・間葉相互作用 / 器官培養 / 頬ひげ原基 / 三叉神経節 / 器官形成 / Merkel細胞

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, I aimed to analyze the pattern formation between the induction of whisker follicles and somatosensory nerves through development of organ culture methods in order to observe the formation of a key structure, called Merkel cell-neurite complex, on a dish. I first analyzed the complex between whisker follicles and trigeminal nerves using immunohistochemical techniques. I initially developed two distinct culture methods of a whisker pad and a trigeminal ganglion explant, and then combined them. After the co-cultivation of the whisker row with a trigeminal ganglion explant, a Merkel cell-neurite complex composed of Merkel cells, trigeminal nerve fibers and Schwann cells was observed. My method for the formation of a Merkel cell-neurite complex in an organ culture will contribute to understanding the regulatory mechanisms of the coordination between trigeminal nerves and whisker follicles.

Free Research Field

発生生物学