Mechanically activated protein kinases regulate mesenchymal-epithelial transition-like reaction in early embryonic ectoderm

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K06663
• 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: National Institute for Basic Biology
• Principal Investigator: Kinoshita Noriyuki 基礎生物学研究所, 初期発生研究部門, 准教授 (30300940)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: アフリカツメガエル胚 / 力学刺激 / 細胞接着 / ERK

Outline of Final Research Achievements

During the morphogenesis process in animal embryo development, various movements such as tissue movement, extension, contraction, and bending occur. These movements generate physical forces. In this study, I used Xenopus embryos and mouse embryos and uterine tissues to analyze how cells sense mechanical stimuli and trigger responses, focusing on protein kinases. As a result, I found that in both Xenopus and mouse, mechanical stimuli activate ERK, and that a receptor tyrosine kinase exists upstream of ERK. I also found that the role of ERK in the mechanical response is important in controlling the localization of the tight junction protein ZO-1 in epithelial cells.

Free Research Field

発生生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

細胞の力学応答の仕組みの研究はまだ始まったばかりであり、多くの謎が残された研究分野である。本研究は、アフリカツメガエル胚に機械刺激を与え、その変化をリン酸化プロテオミクスにより解析するという独自の系を端に発し、その知見から、力学刺激に応じたプロテインキナーゼ活性化による細胞接着制御を明らかにした点が新しく、学術的意義のある点であると考える。力学刺激は、たとえば力学負荷による骨の増強など、医学分野への関わりも明らかになりつつあり、社会的にも意義深いと考えている。