Construction and Experimental Validation of Mechanical Models for Cell Division

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15KT0083
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 特設分野
• Research Field: Constructive Systems Biology
• Research Institution: National Institute of Genetics
• Principal Investigator: Kimura Akatsuki 国立遺伝学研究所, 遺伝メカニズム研究系, 教授 (10365447)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 舟橋 啓 慶應義塾大学, 理工学部(矢上), 准教授 (70324548)
• Research Collaborator: HIROI Noriko ; TADA Shohei ; YOSHIMI Yusuke ; MOTOMURO Mikiko ; YAMAZAKI Yoshitaka
• Project Period (FY): 2015-07-10 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 線虫 / 胚発生 / 細胞分裂 / 細胞骨格 / 中心体

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We set the dynamics of the spatial organization during cell division as the target system. We constructed models for various processes such as the centration of cell nucleus, the elongation of mitotic spindle, and cytokinesis. Furthermore, we attempted to unify models of a series of processes to model entire cell division. Representative achievements include (i) construction of a unified model for nuclear centration to spindle elongation processes and its experimental validation, (ii) construction of numerical models for 2 different cytoplasmic streaming processes and the estimation of the model parameters, and (iii) construction of a numerical model for the arrangement of cells after divisions. Overall, our models cover major spatial reorganization events during cell division, and contribute to understand the cell division processes as a whole.

Free Research Field

細胞生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

学術的な意義としては、細胞分裂の各プロセスの数理モデル構築と実験的検証を行うことによって、細胞分裂に関する理解の到達点と未解明な点を明確にできたことである。一連の研究結果を踏まえて、今後、さらなるモデル化のための研究課題が明確となった。また、本研究で推し進めた研究は、生命システムのモデルを構築し実験的に検証する点で生命システム研究の構成的アプローチの先駆的な研究例となった。