Analysis of regulating mechanism for development and differentiation of special cardiomyocytes

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K08443
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: General anatomy (including histology/embryology)
• Research Institution: Hiroshima University
• Principal Investigator: Hiroki Kokubo 広島大学, 医歯薬保健学研究科(医), 講師 (10270480)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 吉栖 正生 広島大学, 医歯薬保健学研究科(医), 教授 (20282626)
• Research Collaborator: Saga Yumiko
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 心筋

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Understanding of the molecular mechanism of cadiomyocytes differentiation, how the heart progenitor cells differentiate into the working myocardium consisting atria and ventircles, and also into special myocardium constituting sinus venous, including the sinoatrial node controlling heartbeat, has an important key role in the development of the regenerative medicine technology. In this study, we have examined how this progenitor cells are regulated to differentiate into two working and special myocardium, mainly on the role of the BMP signal, in order to elucidate molecular mechanism of the myocardium differentiation by focusing our newly identified heart progenitor cell population to contribute to the left ventricle, the atria, and the sinus venous, and clarified a new mechanism for myocardium differentiation.

Free Research Field

発生生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

循環器領域は、iPS細胞より誘導分化させた固有心筋の細胞シートを心不全患者に直接移植する治療法が治験に入るなど、再生医療が実用段階に入っている。しかしながら、心筋前駆細胞が如何にして固有並びに特殊心筋へと分化するのか、その分子メカニズムは分かっていない。本研究によって、Bmpの心筋制御の新たな分子機構を明らかにできたことは、大きな学術的意義を持つと考えられる。この知見を基に、iPSやES細胞から固有心筋や特殊心筋を効率的に分化誘導する方法へと結び着くことが期待され、大きな社会的意義を持つと考えている。