Basement membrane dynamics in the development of retinal blood vessels

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K09429
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 56060:Ophthalmology-related
• Research Institution: Osaka Medical College
• Principal Investigator: Futaki Sugiko 大阪医科大学, 医学部, 助教 (00403014)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 基底膜 / 血管 / 網膜

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In the mammalian retina, blood vessels extend from the center with a hierarchical branching pattern. In the blood vessels, vascular endothelial cells are attached to a "basement membrane," which plays an important role as a scaffold for vascular endothelial cells. However, it has remained unclear how the vascular basement membrane is formed and maintained. In this study, we analyzed in detail the molecular changes in the basement membrane during the growth of blood vessels in the mouse retina. As a result, it was revealed that the distribution of the components and related molecules in the basement membrane changes as the blood vessels grow. They also succeeded in observing the basement membrane of blood vessels in a living state using mice in which the basement membrane was irradiated with fluorescent proteins.

Free Research Field

細胞生物学、発生生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

血管は成体組織を維持するためには不可欠であり、血管の働きを理解するためには内皮細胞の足場である基底膜の役割の解明も重要である。しかし基底膜の形成・維持・分解の仕組みはほとんど知られていない。本研究ではマウス眼球内の網膜の血管で基底膜の変化を明らかにした。今後、血管基底膜の変化とその仕組みをさらに解明していくことで、成体組織で血管が正しく作られて働くメカニズムを理解し、がんや組織再生の際に血管の形成を制御する技術にもつながることが期待される。