Origin of morphological asymmetries

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17H01435
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Developmental biology
• Research Institution: Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
• Principal Investigator: Hamada Hiroshi 国立研究開発法人理化学研究所, 生命機能科学研究センター, チームリーダー (00208589)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 胚発生 / 左右非対称性 / 繊毛 / 頭尾軸 / 母性因子

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Our body has three axes, anterior-posterior (A-P), dorso-ventral (D-V), and left-right (L-R) axes. How are these body axes (polarities) determined during development? In this study, we will study the origin of L-R polarity and that of A-P polarity. For the L-R polarity, we will examine roles of motile and immotile cilia and how the directional fluid generated by motile cilia is sensed by the mouse embryo. As for the A-P polarity, we will investigate roles of maternal factors in establishing the A-P polarity and in cell lineage specification during pre-implantation.

Free Research Field

発生生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

体の極性の起源は発生生物学の基本命題である。左右の極性の起源には近年で大きな進展があったが、まだ多くの本質的な問題が残されている。頭尾の極性の起源については、他の生物では卵細胞に遡るが，哺乳動物では全く不明である。これらの問題を明らかにすることで、哺乳動物の体が形成される仕組みの理解に、大きな貢献をする。