Spatiotemporal Chain of Organ Formation Linked by Stimulation of Blood Flow Mechanisms

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20H03259
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 44020:Developmental biology-related
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: Takahashi Yoshiko 京都大学, 理学研究科, 教授 (10183857)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 初期胚 / 血管モデリング / 血流 / メカノバイオロジー / 卵黄動脈

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Vascular system plays a pivotal role in conveying oxygen and nutrients, and its formation and patterning during early developing follow some rules. In this study, we asked how the blood flow regulates the vascular patterning. In early chicken embryos, geometric patterns of vitelline arteries (VAs) that laterally extend from the dorsal aorta at the level of 20th somites facilitate analyses at high resolution. We found that the onset of hear beat-driven blood flow is intimately correlated with the he VA patterning. An occlusion of blood flow markedly affected the VA patterning, suggesting that the mechanical stimulation by blood flow plays an important role. We further found that Rho activity needs to be properly controlled for the blood flow-regulated VA patterning. The findings obtained in this study are expected to help understanding how blood flow regulates tumor and cancer cells.

Free Research Field

発生生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

血管バイオロジーの分野において、血管リモデリング機構の理解は非常に遅れている。その理由として、血流刺激を必要としている血管リモデリングをin vitro系で再構築するのが困難であることなどが挙げられる。本研究では、２次平面上で血管形成が進むニワトリ初期胚の利点をいかして、血管リモデリングにおける血流刺激の影響を高解像度で解析できた点が意義深い。血流のタイミングが動脈の位置パターニングを規定するなど、他の解析系では見出せなかった発見を打ち出すことができた。血管系疾患やガン生物学とその治療法開発にむけて、新たな道の開拓につながることが期待される。