Summary of Research Project Results under JSPS FY2004 "Research for the Future Program"

1. Research Institution		Kumamoto University
2. Research Area		Life Sciences
3. Research Field		Development, Differentiation, and Regeneration
4. Term of Project		FY 2000 - FY 2004
5. Project Number		00L01505
6. Title of Project		Studies on the Organogenesis and Disease Control in the Hepatobiliary and Panreatic System

7. Project Leader

Name	Institution, Department	Title of Position
Fumio, Endo	Kumamoto University, Faculty of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences	Professor

8. Core Members

Names	Institution, Department	Title of Position
Yuji, Yokouchi	Kumamoto University, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics	Professor

9. Summary of Research Results

We established to isolate noble stem cells from salivary glands, liver and pancreas, in mice we sorted the Sca-1(+)/c-Kit (+) fraction from adult mice salivary glands by way of fluorescence-activated cell sorting. The sorted cells differentiated into a hepatic lineage when cultured in matrigel. In spherical culture in the presence of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), these cells differentiated into a pancreatic endocrine lineage. When spheroidal bodies of mSGP, 20 to 30 micron in diameter, were transplanted into liver via the portal vein, the cells integrated into hepatic cords and expressed albumin and alpha1-antitrypsin, suggesting that they had differentiated into hepatic-type cells.
Using ES cells, we established a new method to isolate PDX-1 expressing cells which are able to produce pancreatic cells. In this system, we found that TGF-b signaling potentiates differentiation of embryonic stem cells to Pdx-1 expression endodermal cells.
We established a noble method to investigate development of liver in chick. With this system, we identified four genes which participated in patterformation of primitive liver tissue.

10. Key Words

back

Summary of Research Project Results under JSPS FY2004"Research for the Future Program"