Development and sensory inputs in neural network for sucking

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25463083
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Surgical dentistry
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: ISHIHAMA KOHJI 大阪大学, 歯学研究科, 招へい教員 (30432454)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: NMDA受容体 / 三叉神経

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Chemical synapses contain a number of diverse proteins, which form the postsynaptic density (PSD), and these are involved in synaptic structure, neurotransmission and signal transduction. PSD-95 is implicated in the formation and maturation of excitatory synapses. PSD-95 regulates the localization of NMDA receptors by means of binding with NMDA receptor subunit 2 (NR2). Rhythmical oro-maxillofacial activities, such as suckling and chewing, are generated in the brainstem, and we showed that NMDA receptors play a critical role in the rhythm and pattern generation and signal transmission around the trigeminal motor nucleus during prenatal and early postnatal development. Here, we immunohistochemically examined the temporal distribution of PSD-95 protein in developing rat brainstem from suckling to the mature chewing stage. There was early emergence of PSD-95 expression in the interneurons located in the medial region of the trigeminal motor nucleus.

Free Research Field

口腔外科学