Mechanisms of nuclear segmentation in granulocytes

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K22742
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0802:Biomedical structure and function and related fields
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: Sugihara Kei 九州大学, 医学研究院, 助教 (80875881)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-09-11 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 核分葉 / 顆粒球 / 好中球 / 数理モデル / 形態形成 / 核膜 / 核ラミナ / クロマチン

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The nucleus is an essential intracellular organelle that retains genetic information and is generally considered spherical or ellipsoidal. However, granulocytes undergo differentiation and maturation into band-shaped and then lobulated, a highly specialized morphology. To elucidate the morphogenetic mechanism of this drastic change, we developed a coarse-grained two-dimensional particle model. Using this model, we reproduced the process of lobulation as a morphological change caused by volume reduction due to chromatin condensation inside an elastic membrane. We also experimentally verified some model assumptions and constructed an experimental system to explore the detailed mechanisms further.

Free Research Field

数理生物学・発生生物学・細胞生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

古典的に教科書に記載されている顆粒球の核分葉という形態がつくられるメカニズムの一端を数理モデリングと実験を融合することで明らかにした．また，このモデル枠組みは他の特殊化した核形態への適用可能であるため，悪性腫瘍などで見られる核の形態異常などの疾患における形態変化への応用も期待される．