2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Biochemical and genetic dissection of photoreceptor proteins and their signaling pathway in the non-visual photoreceptor neurons
| Project/Area Number |
24657052
|
|---|
| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
|
| Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
|---|
| Research Field |
Animal physiology/Animal behavior
|
|---|
| Research Institution | The University of Tokyo |
|---|
Principal Investigator |
|
|---|
| Project Period (FY) |
2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
|
| Keywords | オプシン / 神経科学 / シグナル伝達 / 光生物学 / 網膜 / 概日時計 / ipRGC / OPN4 |
|---|
| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
A variety of animals have an intrinsic circadian clock that can be entrained by environmental light-dark cycles through circadian photoreception system. Mammalian circadian photoreception is mediated by intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells, ipRGCs, in the retina. Our previous study suggests that the ipRGC photoreceptor protein, OPN4, triggers a novel signaling pathway. In this study, we identified a subtype of heterotrimeric G-protein mediating the novel OPN4 signaling. We also established the transgenic mouse lines to detect the OPN4 signaling in the ipRGCs by using bioluminescent reporter system.
|
| Free Research Field |
光生物学・感覚分子生理学
|
