Physiological function and visualization of lipid droplets in mouse oocyte/embryo

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15H05637
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Integrative animal science
• Research Institution: National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: Tsukamoto Satoshi 国立研究開発法人量子科学技術研究開発機構, 放射線医学総合研究所 技術安全部, 主任研究員(定常) (80510693)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 受精 / 卵子 / 脂肪滴 / オートファジー

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Lipid droplet (LDs) are structures with a lipid ester (mainly triacylglycerol or cholesteryl ester) core coated by a phospholipid monolayer. LDs are dynamic organelles involved in intracellular lipid metabolism and energy production. LDs are present in tissue throughout the body, but their size and composition vary greatly. LDs also accumulate in the oocyte cytoplasm during oogenesis. However, the physiological function of LDs remains largely unknown. In our study, by using gene-modified mice and live-imaging system, we found that LD morphology is dynamically changed before and after fertilization. Furthermore, we demonstrated that LDs accumulated in oocytes could be degraded after fertilization by not only cellular lipase but also selective-autophagy.

Free Research Field

繁殖生物学、生殖工学