Identification of origin for germ cells in mouse embryos

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K15001
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 48010:Anatomy-related
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: Yukiko Tando 東北大学, 加齢医学研究所, 助教 (70596212)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 始原生殖細胞 / マウス / 初期胚

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Germ cells are the only cells responsible for the continuation of offspring in multicellular organisms. It is a well-established idea that mammalian germ cells are fate-determined by the action of signal proteins during development, but that alone does not elucidate the mechanism by which only a few cells differentiate into germ cells. It is possible that there are origin of the germ cells and an unidentified mechanisms to produces them. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify the origin of mouse germ cells. Although the origin of the germ cell could not be identified, it was shown that cells expressing a specific cell membrane protein could be the origin of germ cells.

Free Research Field

発生生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、生殖細胞がどのように形成させるのかという疑問に対して、細胞表面に発現している遺伝子の発現の差が、生殖細胞にへと運命づけられる細胞を同定できる可能性を示した。今後の研究で生殖細胞の分化運命決定機構が明らかになれば、それを培養系に応用してこれまでよりも本来の状態に近い生殖細胞の分化誘導が可能となり、生殖細胞発生の研究がますます進展すると考えられる。また、この研究成果は、同じ哺乳類であるヒトの生殖細胞分化機構の解明につながり、生殖細胞の形成異常に伴う不妊の原因究明とその予防法の開発という形で社会に貢献できる成果になると期待される。