Study of islet development by multi-color lineage tracing and islet differentiation in vitro

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26850214
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Integrative animal science
• Research Institution: Kansai Medical University
• Principal Investigator: YOSHIDA Naoko 関西医科大学, 医学部, 講師 (40392170)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: ノックインマウス / 膵内分泌前駆細胞 / 膵臓発生

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Pancreatic disease causes diabetes and affects more than 7 million people in Japan, but the mechanism of pancreas formation is not well understood. Here, we attempted to create a new genetically modified mouse (Ngn3-Venus-CreERT2 knock-in mouse) to ask how different cells come together and specialize during development to produce key pancreatic structures called islets of Langerhans. Taking advantage of this knock-in mouse, we will use an approach called 'lineage tracing' that introduces different fluorescent colors into precursor cells. The fluorescence will allow us to follow the cell fate and see what they become during pancreas development on a molecular level. Moreover, the present study sought to establish 3D culture system to produce pancreatic structures. We obtained some promising results which would be useful for future drug screening and regenerative medicine.

Free Research Field

発生生物学