The study on the mechanism of time- and location-specific differentiation in the epithelium of small intestine

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25350167
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Eating habits
• Research Institution: University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan
• Principal Investigator: BABA Ryoko 産業医科大学, 医学部, 講師 (90271436)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): MORIMOTO Hiroyuki 産業医科大学, 医学部, 教授 (30335806) ; FUJITA Mamoru 中村学園大学, 栄養科学部, 教授 (60037471)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 小腸 / 吸収上皮細胞 / 乳飲期 / トランスサイトーシス / エンドサイトーシス / オルガノイド

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We have reported that the absorptive cells of small intestine differ by age and its location. However, variation of the cells was not well known. To elucidate the differentiation mechanism of the cells, we analyzed the epithelium of small intestine by using electron microscope, DNA microarray and organoid methods. During suckling period, the absorptive cells of upper part of small intestine had well-developed apical transcytic membrane system. The cells of lower part had well-developed apical endocytic membrane system including giant lysosome. On the other hand, in adult, the absorptive cells of small intestine had neither apical transcytic nor endocytic membrane system. In the microarray analysis, the expression level of time- and location-specific structure and function related genes tended to be higher. In the organoid analysis, the absorptive cells derived from isolated crypt had similar time- and location-depended structure. Further investigation is needed to confirm our findings.

Free Research Field

組織学