Establishment of endomembrane potential optical imaging

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K06873
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 48020:Physiology-related
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Okochi Yoshifumi 大阪大学, 医学系研究科, 准教授 (90435818)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 膜電位 / voltage probe / ファゴソーム膜

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Several ion channels including voltage-gated ion channel has been identified in organelles, which suggests that membrane potential in endomembranes regulates organelle and whole cell functions. However, no reliable technique measuring membrane potential quantitatively has been established. In this study, we have developed a method measuring membrane potential in a living cell by using voltage probe Merm2. By focusing on phagosome, which is formed in phagocytes to eliminate pathogens from our body, we successfully visualized membrane potential change on phagosome and estimated membrane potential from fluorescent signal obtained.

Free Research Field

生理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究により、初めてファゴソームの膜電位がダイナミックに変化することが明らかになった。この結果は膜電位シグナルがファゴソーム機能を制御する可能性を示唆する。今後、この方法を用いてファゴソーム機能異常の原因を膜電位の観点から調べることで、ファゴソーム機能異常に起因する病気の原因の詳細を明らかにできると期待される。この結果は、また、リソソームなどの細胞内小器官の膜電位を測定する技術への応用が期待される。