A new era in organelle biology

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K19347
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 48:Biomedical structure and function and related fields
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: Ohba Yusuke 北海道大学, 医学研究院, 教授 (30333503)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-07-09 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 細胞内小器官 / バイオイメージング

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Endocytosis is a mechanism by which extracellular substances are taken into the cell. We have identified a novel intracellular vesicle in which early and late endosomal markers are co-localized. In this study, we analyzed the vesicles in detail using fluorescence live cell imaging, mutant construction, various inhibitor treatments, and correlative electron and fluorescence microscopy. We found that the vesicles have properties similar to macropinosomes and are transported in the degradation pathway among the endocytosis pathways. Kinases and small G proteins involved in the formation of vesicles were also identified. Furthermore, we determined their physiological function as endocytosis of large-sized substances.

Free Research Field

細胞生理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究で解析したような遷移状態にあるオルガネラはこれまでに報告がなく、その特性、形成機序、および生理的機能の一部を明らかにしたことにより、今後のオルガネラ研究に新展開をもたらすと期待される。オルガネラの機能異常により生じるオルガネラ病の中には、未だ原因不明の疾患も少なくない。本研究成果により、これらの疾患の解明や治療困難な疾患に対する新たな知見を提供することも期待される。