Exploration of taste bud stem cells and development of improved taste bud organoids for taste regeneration

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K19080
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 57040:Regenerative dentistry and dental engineering-related
• Research Institution: Tokyo Medical and Dental University (2022); National Cardiovascular Center Research Institute (2020-2021); Kansai Medical University (2019)
• Principal Investigator: Fujita Kyohei 東京医科歯科大学, 大学院医歯学総合研究科, 特任助教 (10835383)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 味蕾 / 幹細胞 / scRNA-seq / オルガノイド / 細胞系譜追跡

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Taste buds on the tongue's surface are essential for taste perception, but their maintenance mechanism under physiological conditions is still unknown. In this study, we performed scRNA-seq and multicolor lineage tracing of tongue epithelial cells to identify taste bud stem cells.
The results of scRNA-seq of tongue epithelial cells identified gene X as a novel taste bud stem cell marker gene. Lineage tracing of the X-positive cells confirmed a cluster from the basal part of the tongue epithelium to the taste buds. Furthermore, we succeeded in forming an organoid from a single X-positive cell. These results indicate that X-positive cells in the basal portion of the tongue epithelium are the stem cells for the formation of taste buds.

Free Research Field

発生生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

味覚障害に悩まされる患者は年間約20万人を超える。その原因は様々であるが、抗がん剤の副作用などによる味蕾の障害によるものが多いことも知られている。味蕾は味覚を完治する数種類の味細胞を含んでいるため、味蕾の再生は味覚障害の治療法の一つになり得る。味蕾の再生には、元となる幹細胞が重要であるが、これまでその存在は知られてこなかった。本研究によって舌上皮に存在する幹細胞を新規に同定し、またその幹細胞由来のオルガノイドの形成に成功した。今後はこのオルガノイドを用いた、移植などの味覚障害の再生治療法の確立が進むと考えられる。