Retardation of epithelial cell renewal in the intestine of hibernating Syrian hamsters

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25670113
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Environmental physiology(including physical medicine and nutritional physiology)
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: SONOYAMA Kei 北海道大学, (連合)農学研究科(研究院), 准教授 (90241364)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 生理学 / 冬眠 / 腸 / 上皮細胞 / 細胞更新 / ハムスター

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Our preliminary observation suggests a marked retardation of cell renewal in the intestinal epithelium of hibernating Syrian hamsters. The present study aimed to obtain informations regarding molecular basis of this phenomenon. We established a dual labeling method using two thymidine analogues for estimating the cell migration rate along the crypt-villus axis in the intestinal epithelium. With this method, we estimated 5.9±0.6 and 0.9±0.2 μm/h for the cell migration rates in the intestinal epithelium of active and hibernating hamsters, respectively. Immunohistochemistry and RT-qPCR analysis showed that Wnt/β-catenin pathway and Indian hedgehog signaling are unlikely to be involved in the retardation of cell renewal in the intestinal epithelium of hibernating hamsters. Finally, we successfully isolated the intestinal crypts from hamsters and cultured the organoids consisting of epithelial cells. Further studies will proceed to elucidate the molecular basis by using the organdies.

Free Research Field

消化管生理学