Function of multidomain protein CASK in the inner ear

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24592571
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Otorhinolaryngology
• Research Institution: The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
• Principal Investigator: HONDA AKIRA 独立行政法人理化学研究所, 多細胞システム形成研究センター, 研究員 (50443023)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): KITA Tomoko 独立行政法人理化学研究所, 発生・再生科学総合研究センター, 客員研究員 (20362519) ; KITAJIRI Shin-ichiro 京都大学, 医学研究科, 特定病院助教 (00532970)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: CASK / 内耳神経 / 有毛細胞 / 内耳 / コンディショナルKOマウス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To elucidate the function of CASK in the inner ear, a CASK conditional knockout (cKO) mouse was analyzed. The analysis revealed that the number of the type I and II neuronal cells in the spiral ganglion neurons was greatly reduced. The functional analysis of the inner ear of CASK cKO mouse also supported the idea of disfunction of spiral ganglion neurons. Together with these results it is suggested that CASK expresses in the spiral ganglion neurons and has a critical role in maintaining these cells.

Free Research Field

医歯薬学