Regulatory mechanisms of neuronal growth cone motility by mechanical stimulation

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K14563
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Neurophysiology / General neuroscience
• Research Institution: Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
• Principal Investigator: Tojima Takuro 国立研究開発法人理化学研究所, 光量子工学研究領域, 研究員 (00373332)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 成長円錐 / 軸索伸長 / 軸索ガイダンス / 機械刺激

Outline of Final Research Achievements

During embryonic development, axonal growth cones migrates along their correct routes toward distant targets to form neuronal networks. Many previous studies have identified a large number of extracellular axon guidance cues that control growth cone motility. In addition to such chemical cues, migrating axons and growth cones receive a variety of mechanical stimuli from extracellular environments. In the present study, we examined the role of mechanical information in the regulation of growth cone motility during neuronal network formation. We found that axon growth rate is affected by the stiffness of the culture substrate. In addition, our data suggest that the mechanosensitive channel Piezo1 is involved in the regulation of axon growth induced by the substrate stiffness.

Free Research Field

神経科学