In vivo and microarray analyses of mechanisms regulating embryonic myocardial maturation and regeneration

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25460273
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: General anatomy (including histology/embryology)
• Research Institution: Osaka City University
• Principal Investigator: NAKAJIMA Yuji 大阪市立大学, 大学院医学研究科, 教授 (80207795)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 胚心臓 / 心筋傷害 / 心筋修復 / 冠状血管 / 心外膜 / 心内皮細胞 / 発生学 / 解剖学

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this project, roles of primitive epicardium against the myocardial development before the onset of coronary circulation was investigated; and a cardiomyocyte injury model was established to examine the restoration process of the injured cardiomyocytes during development. Primitive epicardium was required for proper development of the compact ventricular layer and the signaling molecules regulating the cardiomyocyte differentiation and maturation were FGF and TGFβ. The investigator also established cryoinjury model of the developing heart during embryogenesis. The restoration process of the injured heart included formation of the clot, scar formation, scar contraction and cardiomyocyte hypertrophy surrounding the injury. Neither cardiomyocyte proliferation nor regeneration was observed at the acute phase of restoration. Further experiments are necessary to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the restoration of the injured heart during development.

Free Research Field

解剖学・発生学