The origin of endocrine system by the study on comparison between vertebrate and amphioxus

• Project/Area Number: 26440163
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Morphology/Structure
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: KUBOKAWA KAORU 東京大学, 海洋アライアンス, 特任教授 (30240740)
• Research Collaborator: TANDO Yukiko ; KOJIMA Ayaka ; NISHINO Atsuo ; NISHINO Junko ; URANO Akihisa
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2017)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,940,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,140,000); Fiscal Year 2016: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥300,000); Fiscal Year 2015: ¥1,040,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥240,000); Fiscal Year 2014: ¥2,600,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥600,000)
• Keywords: ナメクジウオ / 甲状腺 / ヨウ素 / 内柱 / RNA-seq / トランスクリプトーム解析 / 糖タンパク質ホルモン / 比較内分泌学 / RNAseq

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In the endocrine mechanism controlling the physiological function of animals, the concentration of hormones, the distribution of endocrine cells, and secretion pattern of hormones working in trace amount maintain the homeostasis in the body. Hormones are involved in our daily lives and health, especially, pancreas, pituitary and thyroid are important endocrine organs. Modulation of these may result in diabetes, metabolic disorders, infertility and so on. In this study, I focused on the evolution of the endocrine mechanism of vertebrates. The ancestral animal of the vertebrate might use the primitive mechanism of endocrine system including organs, genes, and their correlation. The chordate, amphioxus was used as the materials in the comparison to vertebrates. The gene expression patterns were obviously differed among amphioxus organs and each pattern showed the origin of endocrine organs of vertebrates. As the results, the origin of endocrine organs of vertebrates are discussed.

Research Products

• [Presentation] 生命と進化から考える海洋リテラシー (2017)
  • Author(s): 窪川かおる
  • Organizer: 日本水圏環境養育研究会大会
  • Place of Presentation: みなとパーク芝浦（東京都港区）
  • Year and Date: 2017-03-25
  • Invited
• [Presentation] ナメクジウオの内柱からの内分泌関連遺伝子の探索 (2016)
  • Author(s): 窪川かおる、小島彩加
  • Organizer: 日本比較内分泌学会大会
  • Place of Presentation: 北里大学（神奈川県相模原市）
  • Year and Date: 2016-12-10
• [Presentation] 海洋生物で考える地球の未来 (2016)
  • Author(s): 窪川かおる
  • Organizer: 日本船舶海洋工学会第9回ヨットのテクノロジー
  • Place of Presentation: 東京夢の島マリーナ（東京都江東区）
  • Year and Date: 2016-11-26
  • Invited
• [Presentation] ナメクジウオの内柱における糖タンパク質ホルモンの存在 (2015)
  • Author(s): 窪川かおる
  • Organizer: 日本動物学会
  • Place of Presentation: 朱鷺メッセ（新潟県新潟市）
  • Year and Date: 2015-09-19
• [Presentation] ナメクジウオの内柱における内分泌物質の局在 (2015)
  • Author(s): 小島彩加・窪川かおる
  • Organizer: 第67回日本動物学会関東支部大会
  • Place of Presentation: 早稲田大学先端生命医科学センター
  • Year and Date: 2015-03-14
• [Presentation] ナメクジウオ内柱の甲状腺機能と関連遺伝子の局在 (2014)
  • Author(s): 小島彩加・窪川かおる
  • Organizer: 第85回日本動物学会大会
  • Place of Presentation: 東北大学川内北キャンパス
  • Year and Date: 2014-09-11 – 2014-09-13
• [Book] 境界動物の内分泌系と変態に見る脊椎動物への進化の足跡（発生・変態・リズム、ホルモンから見た生命現象と進化シリーズII) (2016)
  • Author(s): 窪川かおる
  • Total Pages: 212
  • Publisher: 裳華房
• [Remarks] 窪川かおるのホームページ －ナメクジウオから海洋教育へ―
  • URL: http://amphioxus.net/
• [Remarks] 東京大学三崎臨海実験所
  • URL: http://www.mmbs.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp/
• [Remarks] 東京大学理学系研究科附属臨海実験所
  • URL: http://www.mmbs.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp/