Spleen mesenchymal cells incorporated into the pancreatic microenvironment

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26660259
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Integrative animal science
• Research Institution: Tokyo University of Science
• Principal Investigator: GOITSUKA RYO 東京理科大学, 研究推進機構生命医科学研究所, 教授 (50301552)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 間葉系細胞 / 幹細胞 / 再生 / 発生 / 微小環境 / 免疫 / 脾臓 / 膵臓

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Tlx1 is an essential transcription factor for spleen organogenesis. We have demonstrated by genetic lineage-tracing of Tlx1-expressing cells and their progeny using Tlx1CreER-Venus;Rosa26-tdTomato mice that Tlx1 deficiency causes these cells to be incorporated into the dorsal pancreatic mesenchyme, where they give rise to desmin- and vimentin-positive cells scattering around the endocrine, exocrine and ductal cells. By using the embryonic gut organ culture system, we observed that Tlx1-expressing descendants expanded in spleno-pancreatic mesenchyme through the mesenchyme overlying the stomach from the posterior to anterior direction. In contrast, individual cells of the Tlx1-deficient spleno-pancreatic mesenchyme appeared to migrate randomly. These findings suggest that the Tlx1-deficient progeny derived from precursors, in which Tlx1 was transcriptionally activated, fail to move out from spleno-pancreatic mesenchyme, thus being misallocated to the dorsal pancreas.

Free Research Field

統合動物科学