2005 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Molecular cascades underlying the integration of cell differentiation and morphogenesis in cranial/cardiac neural crest development
| Project/Area Number |
16390218
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Circulatory organs internal medicine
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| Research Institution | The University of Tokyo |
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Principal Investigator |
KURIHARA Hiroki The University of Tokyo, Graduate School of Medicine, Professor, 大学院・医学系研究科, 教授 (20221947)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
KURIHARA Yukiko The University of Tokyo, Graduate School of Medicine, Research Associate, 大学院・医学系研究科, 助手 (80345040)
AMANO Tomokazu The University of Tokyo, Graduate School of Medicine, Research Associate, 大学院・医学系研究科, 寄付講座教員(助手相当) (50359634)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2004 – 2005
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| Keywords | Neural crest cells / Pharyngeal arch / Cardiovascular development / Embryo genesis / Endothelin / Homeotic genes / Calpain / Transcriptional factors |
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| Research Abstract |
1.We have found that endothelin-1, produced by pharyngeal epithelium and core mesoderm, acts on cranial neural crest cells via ET-A receptor (ETAR) and determines the ventral identity of the anterior pharyngeal arches by inducing homeotic genes Dlx5 and Dlx6. After the regional specification by ET-1, Dlx5/6 expression was proved to be maintained by the FGF signaling.
2.We have found that the ET-1 signaling activates the enhancer activity of m5/6i, the intergenic element of the Dlx5/6loci, leading to the upregulation of Dlx5/6 expression.
3.We have established mice expressing GFP under the ETAR gene promoter to visualize the ETAR-expressing cells. We also realized the transgenic mouse system in which any genes of interest can be efficiently knocked-in into the ETAR locus by Cre recombinase-mediated cassette exchange. Using this system, we could knock-in the lacZgene to definitely identify the ETAR-expressing cells.
4.We have identified Capn6 as a gene downstream to the ET-1 signaling using DNA microarray. Capn6 was found to be possibly involved in cell division and morphology through the regulation of microtubular networks.
5.We have identified TAZ, a transcriptional coactivator, as a Pax3-binding protein. TAZ was found to coactivate the transcriptional activity of Pax3. TAZ-lacZ knock-in mice have identified TAZ expressing cells during embryogenesis. Partial lethality of TAZ-lacZ knock-in mice has indicated the importance of this gene in development.
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Research Products
(28 results)
