Cellular dynamics during collective cell migration

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15H04380
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Developmental biology
• Research Institution: National Institute for Basic Biology
• Principal Investigator: Ueno Naoto 基礎生物学研究所, 形態形成研究部門, 教授 (40221105)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 鈴木 誠 基礎生物学研究所, 形態形成研究部門, 助教 (10533193)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): KOYAMA Hiroshi 基礎生物学研究所, 初期発生研究部門, 助教 (10530462) ; SANO Masaki 東京大学, 大学院理学系研究科, 教授 (40150263) ; TANAKA Motomu 京都大学, 物質―細胞統合システム拠点, 特定拠点教授 (00706814)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 胚葉形成 / 原腸形成

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We aimed to understand the physical background of collective cell migration through the measurement of force filed using Xenopus mesoderm undergoing gastrulation. We first established the culture system in which mesoderm tissue migrate mono-directionally depending on the concentration gradient of a chemo-attractant SDF-1. Second, we visualized cell morphology and change in relative position of cells by labelling cell membrane and nucleus with GFP and measured force field by the traction force microscopy. Using these methodologies, we have been able to show that cells dynamically changes their positions in the collectively migrating tissue and that only a limited population of cells in the tissue generates force required for cell migration. Furthermore, by imaging intracellular Ca2+ dynamics which leads to the formation of cell protrusions such as lamellipodia, which in turn mediates force generation, has enabled to introduce those multiple parameters into mathematical models.

Free Research Field

発生生物学