Exporing role of cell-cell communication in human embryonic stem cells

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K07395
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Cell biology
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: Ohgushi Masatoshi 京都大学, ウイルス・再生医科学研究所, 准教授 (00462664)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: ヒトES細胞 / 多能性 / 細胞間接着 / セマフォリン

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this research, I aim to explore roles of semaphori-6A, a signaling molecule implicated in axon guidance, in human embryonic stem cell (hESC) biology. For this end, I try to develop a conditional gene knockout system using a Crispr-cas9 genome editing tool.
Following the improved strategy, I established some hESC lines in which 2nd exon of SEME6A gene were flowed. I confirmed that lentivirus-mediated introduction of Cre recombinase induced deletion of 2nd exon and the expression semaphoring-6A protein decreased to the undetectable level. Preliminary data suggested that SAMA6A gene-disrupted hESCs show some abnormal phenotypes. This experimental platform allows us to genetically explore the function of a given gene that plays essential role in hESCs.

Free Research Field

幹細胞生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

ES/iPS細胞を用いた新たな医療・創薬への期待を背景として、様々な細胞を分化誘導する研究が世界中で活発に行われている。しかしながら、それらの学術成果の実用化を見据えた場合、分化誘導手法の再現性、細胞株間での性質のばらつき、そして原材料である多能性幹細胞培養の不安定さ（頻繁な細胞死や自発分化）など、品質と汎用性を担保した大規模細胞調製を達成するための課題は山積している。幹細胞研究の成果を多くの国民に届けるために、セマフォリンシグナルを介した細胞間コミュニケーションの実体解明を進め、多能性幹細胞の高品質化を達成したい。