The origin of endocrine system by the study on comparison between vertebrate and amphioxus

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26440163
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Morphology/Structure
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: KUBOKAWA KAORU 東京大学, 海洋アライアンス, 特任教授 (30240740)
• Research Collaborator: TANDO Yukiko ; KOJIMA Ayaka ; NISHINO Atsuo ; NISHINO Junko ; URANO Akihisa
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: ナメクジウオ / 甲状腺 / ヨウ素 / 内柱 / RNA-seq / トランスクリプトーム解析 / 糖タンパク質ホルモン / 比較内分泌学

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In the endocrine mechanism controlling the physiological function of animals, the concentration of hormones, the distribution of endocrine cells, and secretion pattern of hormones working in trace amount maintain the homeostasis in the body. Hormones are involved in our daily lives and health, especially, pancreas, pituitary and thyroid are important endocrine organs. Modulation of these may result in diabetes, metabolic disorders, infertility and so on. In this study, I focused on the evolution of the endocrine mechanism of vertebrates. The ancestral animal of the vertebrate might use the primitive mechanism of endocrine system including organs, genes, and their correlation. The chordate, amphioxus was used as the materials in the comparison to vertebrates. The gene expression patterns were obviously differed among amphioxus organs and each pattern showed the origin of endocrine organs of vertebrates. As the results, the origin of endocrine organs of vertebrates are discussed.

Free Research Field

比較内分泌学