Quantification of mechanical interactions between glycolipid membrane and stem cells towards physical understanding of cell adhesion

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K05515
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Biological physics/Chemical physics/Soft matter physics
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: Yamamoto Akihisa 京都大学, 高等研究院, 特定助教 (90706805)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: ソフトマター物理 / 糖鎖 / 脂質膜 / 力学特性 / 細胞接着

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This research focused on the role of saccharide chains expressed on human embrionic stem cells on their interactions. Dependence of equilibrium inter-membrane distance on the osmotic pressure and calcium ion concentration, and mechanical property of lipid membrane on the molecular structure of saccharide chains and molar ratio were systematically revealed. Adhesion area of human iPS cells on supported lipid membranes functionalized with various kinds of saccharide chains were also measured. The methodology developed in this research was also applied to other systems, resulted in such as revealing long-range lateral correlation of self-assambled domains of fluorocarbon-hydrocarbon molecules, quantification of the interfacial interaction potential between zwitterionic polymer brush and model cells, and the development of bio-marker for quality control and prognosis of human corneal endothelial cells/tissues.

Free Research Field

ソフトマター物理、モデル細胞膜、医学物理

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究によってこれまで評価が困難であった糖鎖分子同士の弱い相互作用を、分子間相互作用そのものでなく膜の構造揺らぎという物性を通して非侵襲的な手法で評価する方法論と解析法を確立した。特に幹細胞に特異的なSSEA分子によって膜間相互作用がどのように制御されるかを定量的に明らかにした。実際に生細胞を用いた実験系まで発展させることで、物理的な理解にとどまらず生物学的にも意義深い成果を得た。