Study on the developmental basis behind the evolutionary changes of musculoskeletal connections in vertebrates

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K21628
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Stratigraphy/Paleontology; General anatomy (including histology/embryology)
• Research Institution: Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
• Principal Investigator: Hirasawa Tatsuya 国立研究開発法人理化学研究所, 倉谷形態進化研究室, 研究員 (60585793)
• Research Collaborator: FUJIMOTO Satoko
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 進化 / 発生 / 脊椎動物 / 筋 / 腱 / 化石

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The development of musculoskeletal connections in vertebrates and its relationship with the evolutionary changes were studied. We analyzed the developmental process of tendons in the forelimbs of four tetrapod taxa, based on Scx expression patterns, and built a foundation of future researches on the relationship between developmental variability and evolvability. In addition, as an unexpected result, we found that in the evolution towards the turtles, the pectoralis muscle released the connection with the skeletal system and made a connection with the dermis covering the plastron.

Free Research Field

進化発生学