The roles of mechanical force in cerebral development: focus on the dynamics and fate of neural progenitor cells and their molecular mechanism

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K06920
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 46020:Anatomy and histopathology of nervous system-related
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: Okamoto Mayumi 名古屋大学, 医学系研究科, 助教 (30551965)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 大脳発生 / 力 / 神経前駆細胞 / 動態

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The developing cerebral wall is composed of highly dense and dynamic neural progenitor cells, and various types of mechanical force are expected to be present there. In this study, we investigated how the mechanical forces present in the cerebral tissue regulate the dynamics of neural progenitor cells, to understand the molecular mechanism of cellular dynamics. We found that the mechanosensor channel involved in force sensing and response regulates cell production patterns in neural progenitor cells during cerebral development.

Free Research Field

神経発生

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、「力」というこれまでの神経発生分野の研究においては極めて異なる視点から脳発生を研究し、発生過程の大脳において新たな制御機構が存在していることを明らかにした。本研究成果は、重要な基礎的知見を得ることのみならず、大脳皮質形成過程の病態の解明や治療への応用が期待できる。