Molecular mechanisms underlying the proliferation of differentiated glial cells in Drosophila melanogaster

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K06696
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 44020:Developmental biology-related
• Research Institution: Kyorin University
• Principal Investigator: Kato Kentaro 杏林大学, 医学部, 講師 (30733068)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 粟崎 健 杏林大学, 医学部, 教授 (60359669) ; 平井 和之 杏林大学, 医学部, 講師 (70597335)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: グリア細胞 / 可塑性 / ショウジョウバエ / 中枢神経系 / 脱分化 / 増殖

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In general, differentiated cells do not proliferate, but in some cases they start to divide and contribute to tissue repair or remodelling. A specific type of differentiated glial cell in the larval brain of fruit flies begins to divide after the end of larval life. Using this as a model system, we investigated the molecular basis that gives differentiated cells the ability to proliferate and that triggers their proliferation. We found that the hormone signal is required during late larval life, but not during prepupal life, for glial cells to gain the ability to divide multiple times after larval life and to initiate cell division. We were also able to identify the genes that act downstream of the hormone signal.

Free Research Field

発生生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

すでに特殊化した細胞がどのようにして再び分裂できる様になるのか、また組織や種を超えてその仕組みに共通性があるのか十分に探索されているとは言えない。本研究はその様な仕組みの一端を明らかにした。全体としては種を超えた類似性を見出すことはできなかったが、新たに同定した関連分子は哺乳類においても一部の異常増殖する細胞に発現することが報告されている。以上のことから基盤的知見の集積に貢献し新たな視点を提供できたと言える。