Study for defining totipotency mechanism of oocytes

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25670710
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Obstetrics and gynecology
• Research Institution: National Center for Child Health and Development
• Principal Investigator: Akutsu Hidenori 国立研究開発法人国立成育医療研究センター, 生殖医療研究部, 部長 (50347225)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 発生 / 卵子 / 全能性

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Spatiotemporal expression of transcription factors is crucial for genomic reprogramming processes in both in vivo and in vitro. Cellular reprogramming and differentiation are accompanied by dynamic transcriptional changes and transcription factors play central roles in both processes. Dramatic alterations of cellular fates occur during preimplantation embryo development. In mice, after fertilization, an important transcription factor responsible for sustaining pluripotency is the Pou5f1 protein (also known as Oct4). Our deep expression analysis and dose-dependent functional analyses in the preimplantation stages were conducted to address the in vivo Oct4 potential for developmental reprogramming. Our recent findings provide new insight into a role for Oct4 in epigenetic reprogramming toward totipotency in vivo. The spatiotemporal regulation and fine tuning of Oct4 is essential for cellular reprogramming and integrity.

Free Research Field

生殖発生学