Molecular mechanisms governing glia-neuron interaction in the sensory system

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26830049
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Neurochemistry/Neuropharmacology
• Research Institution: Osaka City University
• Principal Investigator: KAGE-NAKADAI Eriko (鹿毛枝里子) 大阪市立大学, 大学院生活科学研究科, 准教授 (40453790)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: グリア細胞 / 線虫

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Glial cells control many aspects of the nervous system, including the regulation of survival, differentiation and interconnection of neurons, in both vertebrates and invertebrates. The Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) amphid sensory organ is a simple model for analyzing glia or neuron-glia interactions. To better characterize glial development and function, we carried out RNA interference screening for transcription factors that regulate the expression of an amphid sheath glial cell marker and identified pros-1, which encodes a homeodomain transcription factor homologous to Drosophila prospero/mammalian Prox1, as a positive regulator. We demonstrated that the C. elegans PROS-1 is a transcriptional regulator in the glia but is involved not only in sensory behavior but also in sensory-mediated physiological tolerance.

Free Research Field

神経科学