Mechanism of fetal lung branching morphogenesis through mitotic cells and Wnt signaling

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26840066
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Cell biology
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Fumoto Katsumi 大阪大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 助教 (40467783)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: Wntシグナル / 分岐形態形成 / 肺 / 発生 / 細胞骨格 / 細胞極性

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Branching morphogenesis in lung is critical tissue morphogenesis to generate the epithelial tubular structures. Although Wnt signaling has been known to regulate lung branching morphogenesis, the role of Wnt signaling in the regulation of cellular function has been unclear. In this study, by using the cultured lung epithelium, I aim to study the cellular processes in branching morphogenesis regulated by Wnt signaling. I found that Wnt signaling regulates the apical cytoskeletal organization and apical-basal polarization, thereby modulating the bud formation by restricting the mitotic cell dependent tissue bending. This study proposes the concept and analytical methodology for cellular function regulated by the growth factor signaling pathways in tissue morphogenesis.

Free Research Field

細胞生物学