Development of a genetic system analyzing the cell-autonomous and non-cell-autonomous effects of gene manipulation on the two independent cell lineages

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K22436
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 44:Biology at cellular to organismal levels, and related fields
• Research Institution: Kyorin University
• Principal Investigator: Awasaki Takeshi 杏林大学, 医学部, 教授 (60359669)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 加藤 健太郎 杏林大学, 医学部, 講師 (30733068)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-06-28 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: Drosophila

Outline of Final Research Achievements

It is difficult to understand the relationship between one cell lineage and another cell lineage during tissue development and differentiation. To elucidate the relationship among cell lineages and the molecular mechanisms that control them, in this study, using Drosophila melanogaster, we developed a new technology that enables to conduct of gene manipulation in two different cell lineages independently and analyzes its cell-autonomous and non-cell-autonomous effects simultaneously. As a result, we developed a technique to visualize two distinct populations of adult neuropil-glia cells derived from lineages of the adult neuropil-glia precursors and other cell lineages. This system is expected to help elucidate the molecular mechanisms that regulate relationships between cell lineages.

Free Research Field

Developmental neurobiology

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

ショウジョウバエを用いた研究は多様な生命現象に関する遺伝子の機能を明らかにすることに優れており、ショウジョウバエでの研究成果を手がかりとして一般性の高い普遍的な遺伝子機能の解明につながった例は枚挙にいとまがない。今回ショウジョウバエをモデルとして、細胞系譜間の関係とそれを制御する分子機構を明らかにすることができる「新規の系」が確立できたことの学術的意義は高いと考える。細胞系譜の研究はがん研究ならびに幹細胞研究において必要不可欠な情報を提供できるため、社会的注目度の高い研究にも応用可能な研究知見をもたらす可能性も秘めているため、本研究成果は社会的意義があると考える。