2007 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Identification and differentiation of Merkel stem cells or precursor cells
| Project/Area Number |
18591252
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Dermatology
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| Research Institution | Saga University |
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Principal Investigator |
NARISAWA Yutaka Saga University, Saga Medical School, Professor (60164498)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
MISAGO Noriyuki Saga University, Saga Medical School, Assistant professor (90199977)
INOUE Takuya Saga University, Saga Medical School, Associate professor (50380754)
OOKAWA Takeshi Saga University, Saga Medical School, Assistant (90418814)
KOBE Shnichi Saga University, Saga Medical School, Assistant (60418811)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2006 – 2007
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| Keywords | Merkel cell / stem cell / precursor cell / コラーゲンゲル培養法 / 表皮シート |
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| Research Abstract |
Merkel cells exist in the basal layer of the epidermis, more especially at the bottom of the rete ridges, contacting with keratinocytes. We thus hypothesized that a direct contact between Merkel cells and keratinocytes may be relevant to the maintenance of Merkel cell survival and function. To address our hypothesis, we developed a new organotypic culture system of Merkel cells, using Merkel cell-containing epidermal sheets. This culture system maintains Merkel cell survival within epidermal rete ridges for more than 2 weeks without neurotrophic growth factors (neurotrophin-3 and nerve growth factor). Coculture of Merkel cells with nerve cells (PC12) promoted Merkel cell survival within epidermal sheets, in which keratinocytes replicated cytokeratins (CK1, CK10, CK14) and p63 expression of in vivo keratinocytes. Merkel cell proliferation was not detected in all conditions. The data suggest, firstly, that a direct contact between Merkel cells and keratinocytes is one of the critical factors in Merkel cell survival ; secondly that Merkel cells may be a terminally differentiated cell type. Our culture system will open up a new way to study Merkel cell biology.
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Research Products
(4 results)
