Investigation of regulatory mechanism of epithelial thickness through muscle contraction-related genes

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K15802
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 44020:Developmental biology-related
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: Yusuke Seto 京都大学, 医生物学研究所, 助教 (40738481)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 網膜色素上皮 / 上皮の厚み / 筋収縮関連遺伝子

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Although proper regulation of the thickness of epithelial tissue is important for its proper function, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. I focused on the transient expression of muscle contraction-related genes during the thin sheet-like deformation of retinal pigment epithelium in developing eye tissue and analyzed regulatory mechanisms and function of those genes. Experimental results suggested the possibility that the expression of muscle contraction-related gene, Tagln, is induced by distortion of cells associated with deformation of the developing tissue and Tagln itself is actively involved the regulation of epithelial thickness through tissue deformation.

Free Research Field

発生生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、いまだ未解明な点が多い上皮組織の厚み制御機構について、筋収縮に関連する遺伝子が寄与している可能性を検証した。本研究の成果から、細胞が自身の本来あるべき形とずれが起きている際に、筋収縮関連遺伝子がその修正のために誘導され、結果として上皮組織の厚みが制御されている可能性が示唆された。上皮組織の厚み制御機構について、そのような新たなメカニズムの存在可能性を示したことに本研究の学術的な意義がある。