Cellular Dynamics of Tympanic Membrane and Identification of tympanic membrane tissue stem cells

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K20287
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Otorhinolaryngology
• Research Institution: The Tazuke Kofukai
• Principal Investigator: Rie Kanai 公益財団法人田附興風会, 医学研究所 神経・感覚運動器研究部, 主任研究員 (30574008)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: tympanic membrane / tissue stem cell / identification / cellular dynamics

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Tympanic membrane perforations (TMP) were created in C57/BL6 mice and sacrificed over time (Day 0, 1, 5, 10, 15, 20), and middle ear tissues were evaluated immunohistochemically.
Early in the process of TMP closure, Ki67-positive cells, suggestive of progenitor cells, appeared at the annulus side of the epithelial layer, and the entire epithelial layer was proliferating. In the middle stage of closure, Ki67-positive cells appeared at the perforation edge side of the lamina propria, and fibroblast was proliferating especially on that site. Although we could not identify tissue stem cells of TMP, we found that the cellular dynamics during the closure process differed between the epithelial layer and the lamina propria.

Free Research Field

耳科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

鼓膜の組織幹細胞の同定にはいたらなかったが、穿孔が閉鎖する過程における上皮層と固有層の細胞動態、ならびに両者の差異が明らかになった。このことは鼓膜穿孔が残存するメカニズムの解明や、鼓膜穿孔閉鎖治療の開発において有用な情報になりうると考えられる。