Epithelial regeneration by transplantation of cultured intestinal stem cells

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24390186
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Gastroenterology
• Research Institution: Tokyo Medical and Dental University
• Principal Investigator: NAKAMURA Tetsuya 東京医科歯科大学, 医歯(薬)学総合研究科, 寄附講座教授 (70265809)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 消化管再生医療 / 腸管上皮幹細胞 / 幹細胞移植

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To develop stem cell therapy for human intestinal diseases, it is essential to assess whether intestinal stem cells in culture retain their tissue regeneration capabilities. During the term of this grant support, we developed a new mouse recipient model of colonic mucosal injury, which allows us to assess the time-course changes and behaviors of transplanted stem cells. By combining the cell transplantation technique developed in our laboratory, we investigated whether cultured intestinal stem cells are capable of regenerating epithelia in vivo, and how they behave when transplanted onto the colon. We found that stem cells of the adult colon and small intestine and also epithelial progenitors of the fetal small intestine are all capable of reconstituting self-renewing epithelia when transplanted. This study provides evidence that cultured intestinal stem cells could be a source for cell therapy of intestinal diseases.

Free Research Field

消化器内科学