Inoko Shuhei, Katagiri Hiroki, Tsujimura Maiko, Yoshie Sumio
Histology, The Nippon Dental University Graduate School of Life Dentistry at Niigata, 1-8 Hamaura-Cho, Chuo-Ku, Niigata, 951-8580, Japan.
Department of Histology, The Nippon Dental University School of Life Dentistry at Niigata, 1-8 Hamaura-Cho, Chuo-Ku, Niigata, 951-8580, Japan.
Odontology. 2025 Jan;113(1):126-134. doi: 10.1007/s10266-024-00948-8. Epub 2024 May 26.
Taste bud cells are classified into four types by their ultrastructural features. Immunohistochemical detection of taste-signaling molecules is used to distinguish cell types of taste bud cells; however, the characteristics of taste cell types such as the immunoreactivity for taste-signaling molecules have long remained unclear. We investigated the detailed characteristics of taste cells in rat vallate taste buds by electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry for gustducin, neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) and vesicle-associated membrane protein 2 (VAMP2), which are known as markers of Type II cells, Type III cells and both cell types, respectively. Triple immunostaining for these molecules discriminated seven kinds of cell, including the totally immunopositive cell. Electron microscopy revealed Type III cells with a typical synaptic structure and subsurface cisterna as a specialized contact between a nerve and a Type II cell. The present study clarified the existence of cells with features of both Type II and Type III cells as a subtype of taste bud cells in the rat taste bud.
味蕾细胞根据其超微结构特征可分为四种类型。通过免疫组织化学检测味觉信号分子来区分味蕾细胞的类型；然而，长期以来，味觉细胞类型的特征，如对味觉信号分子的免疫反应性一直不清楚。我们通过电子显微镜和免疫组织化学方法，研究了大鼠轮廓乳头味蕾中味觉细胞的详细特征，所用的标记物分别是味觉传导素（gustducin）、神经细胞黏附分子（NCAM）和囊泡相关膜蛋白2（VAMP2），已知它们分别是II型细胞、III型细胞以及这两种细胞类型的标记物。对这些分子进行三重免疫染色可区分出七种细胞，包括完全免疫阳性细胞。电子显微镜显示III型细胞具有典型的突触结构以及作为神经与II型细胞之间特殊接触的表面下池。本研究阐明了大鼠味蕾中存在兼具II型和III型细胞特征的细胞，作为味蕾细胞的一个亚型。
