Integration and parallel processing of light information from pineal and eyes

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K15844
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 44050:Animal physiological chemistry, physiology and behavioral biology-related
• Research Institution: Osaka City University
• Principal Investigator: Wada Seiji 大阪市立大学, 大学院理学研究科, 特任助教 (90747320)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: オプシン / ゼブラフィッシュ / 松果体

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Non-mammalian vertebrates have the pineal organ as a photoreceptive organ as well as eyes. The pineal organ possesses photoreceptor cells similar to visual cells in the retina and expresses photoreceptive proteins, opsins, that differ from those of the retina. It has also been suggested that the pineal organ possibly transmits light information to the brain, like the retina. However, it has not been physiologically shown if a photoresponse originating from photoreception in the pineal organ has been observed in the brain. In this study, we attempted to clarify where the light information received in the pineal organ is transmitted with whole-brain imaging. As a result, we optimized the light stimulation focusing on the molecular property of a pineal opsin and successfully visualized the brain regions that showed responses derived from pineal photoreception.

Free Research Field

光生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究により、松果体の光情報が脳へ伝えられることが生理学的に実証された。また、松果体と眼の光情報が統合される現象を捉えた。異なる光受容器由来の光情報が脳内で統合されることから、単に、眼や松果体といった光受容器単位で生理機能を発現するのではなく、光受容器どうしの協調が機能発現をもたらす新しい可能性を見出した。また、異なる「感覚器」由来の情報の統合とも捉えられ、感覚のマルチモダリティを示しているものでもあり、社会的意義のある成果と考えられる。