Elucidation of the mechanism on nephron segmentation with Xenopus laevis

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K08262
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 53040:Nephrology-related
• Research Institution: Kyorin University
• Principal Investigator: Katada Tomohisa 杏林大学, 医学部, 助教 (10527229)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: ネフロン / セグメント / アフリカツメガエル / 腎臓

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The goal of this study is to identify genes involved in nephron segmentation in kidney development. Xenopus laevis, African clawed frog, was used as a model animal. To obtain cells on segmentation process, animal cap cells were cultured in the media including activin A and retinoic acid for 5-53.5 hours. To confirm kidney induction in animal cap cells, quantitative RT-PCR was performed on known markers of nephron segment, proximal, intermediate, distal and connecting tubule.
Using these cells, RNA sequencing was carried out to analyze gene expression in the various process of segment differentiation. Transcriptional factors and growth factors of 19,680 genes were screened based on Xenbase, Xenopus laevis database, to refer to expression domain of these genes. Finally, 12 genes were picked up as a candidate gene to induce segmentation of developing nephrons.

Free Research Field

発生生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

腎ネフロンの発生過程は、その構造的複雑さから解析が進んでいなかった。本研究では、構造が簡素なアフリカツメガエルのネフロンをモデルとして用いることで解析を容易にし、その知見がヒトをはじめとする哺乳類にも活かせることで、研究を促進する一助になったといえる。また、ネフロンの発生過程が明らかになれば、腎低形成や異形成に対する解明が進み、ネフロン発生期における疾患の原因究明にも役立つと考えられる。