Gene regulatory network in the epiblast regionalization and somatic lineage derivation

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17H03688
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Developmental biology
• Research Institution: Kyoto Sangyo University
• Principal Investigator: KONDOH Hisato 京都産業大学, 総合学術研究所, 科研費研究員 (70127083)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: エピブラスト / 体細胞発生 / 神経系 / 内胚葉 / 転写因子 / 幹細胞 / ニワトリ胚 / マウス胚

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Any somatic tissue has its developmental origin in the pluripotent epiblast. We investigated the early stages of somatic tissue development focusing on the neural and endodermal primordia.
Anterior epiblast cells already have regionalities of future brain portions when the node develops. As the epiblast cells gather upon the node-derived anterior mesendoderm, they form the neural primordium already with the traits of brain portions. The higher Wnt signal level in the posterior embryo sites determines the posterior regionality in the hindbrain and spinal cord. Further neural development from the primordium is promoted by cooperative actions of the SOX2 and ZIC2 transcription factors.
Interaction of the SOX17-expressing fraction of the epiblast cells with the laminin-rich basement membrane elicits the genesis of the endodermal primordium. The action of the esophageal SOX2 against the tracheal development is essential for the esophagus/trachea separation in the anterior endoderm.

Free Research Field

発生生物学・分子生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

ヒトの胚発生では、受精後１ヶ月の間に、エピブラストという体細胞全体の前駆体から様々な体細胞組織の原基が発生し成立する。胚発生の最も重要な時期である。この時期の発生が順調に進行しないと、さまざまな先天異常の原因にもなる。この時期の胚発生の主要なプロセス、ニワトリ胚、マウス胚、マウス胚から樹立したエピブラスト幹細胞株を用いて研究した。