Mechanism of cellular response to three-dimensional topography in tissues

2024 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K15332
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 48010:Anatomy-related
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: Sugihara Kei 九州大学, 医学研究院, 助教 (80875881)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2025-03-31
• Keywords: 血管周皮細胞 / 3次元地形 / 細胞運動 / 数理モデル

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In recent years, bioengineering research has revealed that cells can sense and respond to three-dimensional topography in vitro. However, it remains unclear whether similar responses occur in vivo, and how such responses influence tissue or organ morphology and function. In this study, we quantitatively demonstrated that vascular pericytes preferentially localize near vascular three-way junctions across multiple tissues. Using an integrative approach, including quantitative analysis of cell distribution, mathematical modeling, and both in vitro and in vivo time-lapse imaging, we suggest that pericyte localization is regulated by the three-dimensional topography of endothelial structures.

Free Research Field

数理生物学・発生生物学・細胞生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、生体内における細胞の3次元地形応答という視点から血管周皮細胞の局在機構を調べた。これまでin vitroで論じられてきた3次元地形応答を生体内でも生じうる現象として示した点に意義があり、これは形態形成や組織構築の理解に新たな知見をもたらす。また、将来的には、細胞が周囲の環境の幾何学的性質に応答するという性質は、再生医療やバイオマテリアル設計においても活用できる可能性がある。