The role of Nkx2.1 in differentiation of NG2 cell-derived astrocyte

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25870618
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Neurophysiology / General neuroscience; Neurochemistry/Neuropharmacology
• Research Institution: Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Gotoh Hitoshi 京都府立医科大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 助教 (20462202)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): Ono Katsuhiko 京都府立医科大学, 大学院医学研究科神経発生生物学, 教授 (30152523) ; Nomura Tadashi 京都府立医科大学, 大学院医学研究科神経発生生物学, 准教授 (10323007)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 発生 / 大脳皮質 / NG2細胞 / グリア細胞 / アストロサイト / オリゴデンドロサイト / 分化 / 転写因子

Outline of Final Research Achievements

NG2 cells are oligodendrocyte progenitor cells in the adult brain, but they differentiate into astrocytes(AS) as well in the embryonic ventral telencephalon.
In order to analyze the molecular mechanism of NG2 cells differentiation into AS, we analyzed NG2 cell differentiation in Nkx2.1 KO mice that is an essential transcription factor for ventral telencephalic development. We found that differentiation of NG2 cells into AS was not changed in Nkx2.1 KO mice. Moreover, we performed slice transplant assay to identify the AS generating NG2 cells. We found that cells in lateral ganglionic eminence (LGE) that is located dorsal to Nkx2.1-expressing area are the source of NG2-derived AS. We are now analyzing the molecular mechanisms that regulate AS generation from LGE-derived NG2 cells.

Free Research Field

神経発生学