Three-dimensional analysis of morphogenetic factors forming cartilage primordia

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K08548
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: General physiology
• Research Institution: Keio University
• Principal Investigator: YODA Masaki 慶應義塾大学, 医学部(信濃町), 特任助教 (30464994)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 骨・軟骨代謝学 / 三次元解析 / 形態形成 / 細胞間相互作用

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Since there is no invasion of blood vessels into the mesenchymal tissues at the time when the cartilage primordia are formed, it is suggested that the mesenchymal cells around the cartilage primordia are producing the morphogenetic factors related to the cartilage primordia. As a result of visualizing the cartilage primordia in the embryonic period and surrounding mesenchymal cells, it was found that the expression of cartilage primordia was different in each site. Moreover, histological observation revealed the localization of PDGFRα-positive cells at the interface between the cartilage primordia and the surrounding cell group, suggesting the involvement of PDGF. The cartilage could be visualized from the three-dimensional analysis, and the findings regarding the localization elucidation of morphogenetic factors using immunostaining were obtained.

Free Research Field

整形外科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

組織および器官の形態は本来三次元で理解されるべきものである。本研究の着想および手法は軟骨原基だけでなく組織の形態形成を解明する上で有用である。軟骨原基の形態形成機構を明らかにすることで、人工的に必要な形へと骨組織を形成することが期待できる。本研究の結果は、治療が困難である骨形成性疾患および軟骨・骨再建における新規治療法への応用に向けた基礎的知見の提供が一部出来たと考えている。