Protein 4.1R regulates degranulation of mast cells.

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25860168
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: General physiology
• Research Institution: Tokyo Women's Medical University
• Principal Investigator: TANAKA Shotaro 東京女子医科大学, 医学部, 助教 (90380667)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: マスト細胞 / 分泌顆粒 / ライブイメージング / 共焦点顕微鏡 / GFP

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Mast cells cause various allergic symptoms by releasing inflammatory mediators such as histamine from their intracellular secretory granules (SGs) in response to allergic stimuli (degranulation). It is hoped that the development of treatments that inhibit degranulation will enable the mitigation of allergy symptoms. To do so, it is necessary to observe the intracellular dynamics of these SGs to elucidate the process of their degranulation.
In this study, we observed individual SGs by overexpressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) in the cytoplasm of mast cells and using confocal microscopy to photograph the “absence of GFP” representing SGs that arose as a result of GFP not penetrating the granular lumen. This imaging method has notable advantages that provide (i) whole SG images in the cell, (ii) accurate and clear outline of SGs, and (iii) the images of cell body and nucleus simultaneously. We regard that this method will contribute to the development of mast cell SG study.

Free Research Field

細胞生物学