Establishment of novel techniques for manipulating mammalian fetuses at the molecular level

大脑的功能，如记忆、学习和情感，都是建立在特定区域各种神经元之间的神经网络的基础上的。为了阐明大脑发育的分子机制，需要建立新的技术，在分子水平上直接操纵哺乳动物妊娠中期及以后的胎儿。本课题主要研究方向为：1)建立哺乳动物妊娠中期及以后的胚胎操纵与维持技术；2)建立哺乳动物妊娠中期及以后的胚胎大脑细胞移植技术；3)建立外源基因移植到哺乳动物妊娠中期及以后的大脑的技术1)作为哺乳动物妊娠中期及以后操纵和维持胎儿的一项技术，我们建立了超声引导下的子宫操纵技术，从而使胎儿能够在足月生存和发育。2)作为细胞移植和基因转移的初步实验，我们尝试在手术后的胎儿体内注射染料溶液。

Brain functions such as memory, lerning, and emotion, are based on neuronal networks connected among various neurons in specific regions. In order to elucidate molecular mechanisms of brain development, it is required to establish novel techniques to directly manipulate mammalian fetuses of the middle gestation and thereafter at molecular levels. This research project aimed to do the following subjects :1) Establishment of techniques for manipulating and maintaining mammalian fetuses at the middle gestation and thereafter2) Establishment of techniques for transplanting cells into the brain of mammalian fetuses at the middle gestation and thereafter3) Establishment of techniques for transferring exogenous genes into the brain of mammalian fetuses at the middle gestation and thereafterThe following results are obtained in the period supported by this grant :1) As a technique for manipulating and maintaining mammalian fetuses at the middle gestation and thereafter, we established ultrasound-guided in utero manipulation, thereby operated fetuses being able to survive and develop at the full term.2) As preliminary experiments for cell transplantation and gene transfer, we tried to inject dye solutions into the operated fetuses.