2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Mechanisms of the brain formation in higher mammals
| Project/Area Number |
17H03541
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Neurophysiology / General neuroscience
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| Research Institution | Kanazawa University |
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Principal Investigator |
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
田嶋 敦 金沢大学, 医学系, 教授 (10396864)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
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| Keywords | 大脳 |
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| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
The cerebrum of higher mammals exhibits folds (i.e. gyrus and sulcus) on its surface. The gyrus is thought to be important for the acquisition of higher brain functions, but the mechanisms of its formation still remain unclear. In this study, we analyzed the mechanisms of gyrus formation using gyrencephalic carnivore ferrets. We found that FGF signaling is essential for gyrus formation. Our findings suggest that FGF promotes the division of neural progenitors and gyrus formation. We investigated the cell biological processes that are important for gyrus formation and found that migration of neurons into the surface layers of the cerebral cortex is important. Furthermore, we found that sonic hedgehog signaling increases the number of progenitors by maintaining their immature state and as a result, promotes gyrus formation.
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| Free Research Field |
脳神経科学
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| Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements |
大脳皮質は脳機能の中枢であり、様々な脳神経疾患や発達障害の首座であることから、大脳皮質の形成機構の解明は脳神経科学の最重要課題の一つである。ヒトなどの高等哺乳動物の大脳皮質の表面にはシワ（脳回）が存在する。脳回の獲得により大脳皮質の表面積が著しく増加し、多くの神経細胞を持つことが可能となったと考えられている。従って、脳回は大脳皮質の高機能化の基盤となった重要な構造と考えられている。さらに滑脳症や多小脳回症など脳回異常疾患の病態解明も必要であり、また自閉症や統合失調症での脳回異常も報告されていることから、脳回の形成原理の解明は極めて重要である。
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