日本理化学研究所发育与再生科学综合研究中心研究组的最新研究发现，蛋白质对神经的巧妙调节决定了脊椎动物大脑的发育程度。研究论文发表于9月5日的美国科学杂志《细胞》（Cell）。
据日本共同社报道，大脑初具形状后，一种名为“ONT1”的蛋白质便会产生作用，把大脑的发育控制在一定程度。研究组主任笹井芳树表示：“我们部分解开了器官形成的构造之谜。这或许有助于利用万能细胞的再生医疗研究。”
研究组利用光滑爪蟾的受精卵进行了试验。结果表明促使神经发育的其他蛋白质与ONT1相互抑制并取得平衡。受精卵反复进行细胞分裂，发育到相当于胎儿的阶段时ONT1便开始产生较强作用促使大脑定型。
鱼类及哺乳动物的大脑发育同样受到蛋白质的影响，但包括人类在内的灵长类动物的大脑发育似乎还存在其他特征。笹井认为其他器官可能也有类似的发育调节功能。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推荐原始出处：
Cell，Vol 134, 854-865, 05 September 2008，Hidehiko Inomata, Tomoko Haraguchi, and Yoshiki Sasai
Robust Stability of the Embryonic Axial Pattern Requires a Secreted Scaffold for Chordin Degradation
Hidehiko Inomata, Tomoko Haraguchi, and Yoshiki Sasai,
Organogenesis and Neurogenesis Group, Center for Developmental Biology, RIKEN, Kobe 650-0047, Japan
Dorsal axial formation during vertebrate embryogenesis exhibits robust resistance to perturbations in patterning signals. However, how such stability is supported at the molecular level remains largely elusive. Here we show thatXenopus ONT1, an Olfactomedin-class secreted protein, stabilizes axial formation by restricting Chordin activity on the dorsal side. When ONT1 function is attenuated, the embryo becomes hyperdorsalized by a normally subeffective dose of Chordin. ONT1 binds Chordin and BMP1/Tolloid-class proteinases (B1TP) via distinct domains and acts as a secreted scaffold that enhances B1TP-mediated Chordin degradation by facilitating enzyme-substrate association. ONT1 is indispensable for fine-tuning BMP signaling in the axial tissue, and a similar role has been suggested for dorsally expressed BMPs such as ADMP. Simultaneous inhibition of ONT1 and dorsally expressed BMPs (ADMP and BMP2) synergistically caused drastic dorsalization. These results indicate that stable axial formation depends on two compensatory regulatory pathways involving ONT1/B1TP and dorsally expressed BMPs.
