Vesicular glutamate transporters localization in the rat lingual papillae.

Vesicular glutamate transporters (VGluts) are widely expressed in neurons of the central nervous system, where they fulfil numerous functions during glutamatergic neurotransmission. This study examines their peripheral distribution in papillae of the tongue using immunohistochemical methods. VGlut 1 was detected in basal layers of the nontaste epithelium, and in intragemmal and perigemmal zones in taste papillae. Neither VGlut 2 nor VGlut 3 was detected in the lingual epithelium and taste papillae. These findings show the specific lingual pattern of distribution for VGluts and suggest that only VGlut 1 takes part in glutamatergic regulation of epithelial and taste cells within the tongue in physiological conditions.