Gene regulatory network underlying epiblast cell determination and their derivation into various somatic cell lineages

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26251024
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Developmental biology
• Research Institution: Kyoto Sangyo University
• Principal Investigator: KONDOH Hisato 京都産業大学, 総合生命科学部, 教授 (70127083)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): ISHII Yasuo 東京女子医科大学, 医学部, 講師 (20582430) ; TAKEMOTO Tatsuya 徳島大学, 先端酵素学研究所, 教授 (30443899) ; ARUGA Jun 長崎大学, 医歯薬学総合研究科, 教授 (10232076)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 遺伝子発現調節 / 転写因子 / エピブラスト / 幹細胞 / 体細胞系列 / 胚発生 / ノード

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Diverse somatic cells develop from pluripotent epiblast cells that are established after embryo implantation. However, the gene regulatory network underlying epiblast cell state determination and that involved in somatic cell derivation remains unclear. We investigated the regulatory function of major transcription factors (TFs) in the epiblast, and showed a drastic change in the gene regulatory network in the epiblast compared with the preimplantation pluripotent state. To characterize the process of somatic cell derivation, we established stem cell lines that represent early somatic lineages, e.g., neural progenitor cell lines with anteroposterior regional specificities, and characterized these intermediate somatic cell states. In addition, we investigated the regulatory function of the TF SOX2 in determining the regional specificity of endodermal tissues.

Free Research Field

分子発生生物学