Origin of brain-gut interactions, explored from echinoderm research

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K16199
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 45020:Evolutionary biology-related
• Research Institution: University of Tsukuba
• Principal Investigator: Yaguchi Junko 筑波大学, 生命環境系, 研究員 (60743127)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: セロトニン / アセチルコリン / Go-opsin / opsin2

Outline of Final Research Achievements

I revealed that series of flows, in which Go-opsin near the anterior neuroectoderm receives light stimulation, serotonin is released from the anterior neuroectoderm and finally, pylorus opens in sea urchin larvae. It was suggested that not only serotonin but also acetylcholine is involved in the pyloric opening, and the opening and closing are controlled based on their balance.
The result of this study strongly suggested that the anterior neuroectoderm of sea urchin larvae functions as a brain and nervous system in and around the brain have already controlled the function of the digestive tract in the common ancestor of deuterostomes.

Free Research Field

進化発生学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は棘皮動物における脳の存在およびその腸管への機能を実験的に示したものであり、脊椎動物などの後口動物における脳の起源と進化を考える上で、重要な研究成果になった。
また、光刺激がウニ幼生の脳を介して腸管の機能に影響を与えていることが明らかになったように、我々ヒトにおいても光などの外部環境と腸管機能の間には未知の関係性が存在することが強く示唆され、本研究成果をきっかけに、ヒトの健康維持に貢献できるアイデア等が生じることが期待される。