The study of hormone production mechanism in pituitary by using iPS cells

脑下垂体是所有脊椎动物神经内分泌系统的重要组成部分。来自脑垂体前叶不同内分泌细胞类型的六种激素对于维持体内平衡至关重要。由于垂体功能减退是内分泌疾病的重要原因，因此，研究垂体功能减退的发生机制是重要的研究课题之一。本研究旨在通过诱导型多能干细胞分化为激素表达细胞来阐明前叶的发育机制。结果，检查表明已知在垂体发育中起重要作用的基因的表达。但由于本研究中没有检测到激素的存在，因此对iPS细胞分化条件的研究是必不可少的。

The pituitary gland is a critical component of the neuroendocrine system that is present in all vertebrates. The six hormones from distinct endocrine cell types in the anterior lobe of pituitary gland are essential for the maintenance of homeostasis. Since the hypopituitarism is responsible for endocrinopathy, identification of hormone-producing mechanism is one of important studies. In this study, it is intended to elucidate of developmental mechanism of the anterior lobe by differentiation of iPS cells into hormone expressing cells in vitro. As result, the examinations indicated the expression of genes known to essential role in pituitary development. But it is indispensable for investigation of differentiation condition of iPS cells, because hormone have not been detected in any method of this study.