Generating and regulatory mechanisms of spontaneous contraction of oviducts

• Project/Area Number: 17H05041
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Animal production science
• Research Institution: Okayama University
• Principal Investigator: Yamamoto Yuki 岡山大学, 環境生命科学研究科, 助教 (20645345)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2019)
• Budget Amount: ¥25,090,000 (Direct Cost: ¥19,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥5,790,000); Fiscal Year 2019: ¥4,290,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥990,000); Fiscal Year 2018: ¥7,540,000 (Direct Cost: ¥5,800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,740,000); Fiscal Year 2017: ¥13,260,000 (Direct Cost: ¥10,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥3,060,000)
• Keywords: 卵管 / 筋収縮 / 平滑筋細胞 / イオンチャネル / カルシウム変動 / 自発収縮 / 小胞体 / 自動能 / カルシウムイオン / 平滑筋 / カルシウムオシレーション / ギャップジャンクション / カルシウム / 収縮 / ペースメーカー

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Spontaneous phasic contraction of mammalian oviducts is essential for the transport of gametes and embryos. We aimed to identify the mechanisms underlying spontaneous contractions in the bovine oviducts. We established the isolation and culture methods for oviductal smooth muscle cells showing spontaneous calcium oscillation to identify the endogenous pacemaker of oviductal contraction. Several dynamics patterns of intracellular calcium were observed. These results suggest multiple types of smooth muscle cell are involved in the spontaneous contraction of oviducts、and some of them might work as a pacemaker.The effects of ion channel and gap junction blockers on contraction of oviduct strips were investigated using the Magnus system.The results demonstrated that several ion channels contribute to the regulation of the contraction, and the signals required for contraction propagate via the gap junction.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究ではウシ卵管組織の自発収縮発生制御メカニズムの一端を初めて明らかにした。卵管の平滑筋収縮機能は妊娠の成立に必須であることが知られている。また、ヒトで起こる異所性妊娠 (卵管内妊娠) には輸送異常が関与する。今後自発収縮の制御機構を検討することで、卵管の輸送能をターゲットにした家畜の繁殖制御技術や生殖補助医療技術の向上、異所性妊娠の予防法確立に貢献することが期待できる。

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Analysis of ciliogenesis process in the bovine oviduct based on immunohistochemical classification. (2020)
  • Author(s): Ito S., Yamamoto T., Kimura K.
  • Journal Title: Molecular Biology Reports Volume: 47 Issue: 2 Pages: 1003-1012
  • DOI: 10.1007/s11033-019-05192-w
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Adrenomedullin regulates the speed of oviductal fluid flow in cattle (2017)
  • Author(s): Yoshimoto Y, Nishie T, Ito S, Kobayashi Y, Yamamoto Y, Kiyoshi Okuda, Kimura K
  • Journal Title: Molecular Reproduction and Development Volume: 84 Issue: 8 Pages: 712-718
  • DOI: 10.1002/mrd.22852
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Presentation] ウシ卵管培養平滑筋細胞におけるカルシウムオシレーション制御メカニズムの探索 (2019)
  • Author(s): 山本ゆき、黒川真帆、木村康二
  • Organizer: 日本繁殖生物学会
• [Presentation] Generating mechanisms for spontaneous rhythmic contraction of bovine oviducts (2019)
  • Author(s): Yuki Yamamoto, Maho Kurokawa, Taiji Ogawa, Koji Kimura
  • Organizer: 4th International Conference on Endometritis in Cows and Mares and joint Polish-Japanese Seminar
  • Int'l Joint Research / Invited
• [Presentation] 卵管自発収縮にかかわるイオンチャネルと培養平滑筋細胞内カルシウム変動 (2019)
  • Author(s): 山本ゆき、黒川真帆、小川泰司、木村康二
  • Organizer: 日本分子生物学会
• [Presentation] ウシ卵管自発収縮に関与するイオンチャネルと平滑筋細胞内カルシウム変動の解析 (2018)
  • Author(s): 山本ゆき、黒川真帆、小川泰司、木村康二
  • Organizer: 第111回日本繁殖生物学会大会
• [Presentation] Evaluation of the ion channel functions in phasic spontaneous contraction and characterization of Ca2+ oscillation in bovine oviduct cultured smooth muscle cells (2018)
  • Author(s): Yuki Yamamoto, Maho Kurokawa, Taiji Ogawa, Koji Kimura
  • Organizer: 51st Annual Meeting of Society for the Study of Reproduction
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Calcium and chloride ion current responsible for spontaneous contractions of bovine oviduct (2017)
  • Author(s): Yuki Yamamoto, Taiji Ogawa, Maho Kurokawa and Koji Kimura
  • Organizer: The 4th World Congress of Reproductive Biology
  • Int'l Joint Research