Development of autophagy visualization tools and analyses of physiological roles of autophagy

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25670139
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: General medical chemistry
• Research Institution: Tokyo Medical and Dental University
• Principal Investigator: SHIMIZU Shigeomi 東京医科歯科大学, 難治疾患研究所, 教授 (70271020)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: オートファジー / Atg5非依存性 / 細胞分化 / ケミカルバイオロジー

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Autophagy is a process that leads to the bulk degradation of subcellular constituents through the creation of autophagosomes/ autolysosomes. There are two types of autophagy; Atg5-dependent type and independent type. Here we developed autophagy visualizing tools and analyzed physiological roles of autophagy. We first developed two lines of transgenic mice in which autophagy can be visualized. We also developed antibody that can detect Atg5-independent type of autophagy, and fluorescence compound that can measure total autophagy. Furthermore, using these tools, we found that alternative autophagy is involved in the cardiac development and red blood cell differentiation.

Free Research Field

細胞生物学