Localization and function of the cadherin family in taste buds and their association with taste disorders.

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K11731
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 59040:Nutrition science and health science-related
• Research Institution: Fukuoka Women's University
• Principal Investigator: Hamada Shun 福岡女子大学, 国際文理学部, 教授 (60282349)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 生田 李緒 福岡女子大学, 国際文理学部, 助手 (90853557)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 味蕾 / シナプス形成 / カドヘリン / 亜鉛

Outline of Final Research Achievements

There are two types of taste receptor cells in mammalian taste buds, type II and type III cells, each responsible for the reception of different tastes and synaptically coupled to nerve fibers that transmit the corresponding taste sensation. As the cells in the taste buds are constantly being replaced, taste afferemt nerve fibers select and form synapses with the appropriate taste receptor cells throughout the lifetime. In this study, by decreasing the expression of N-cadherin, a cell adhesion molecule, in taste bud cells using gene-targeted mice, we showed that this molecule may be involved in synapse formation between type II cells and afferent nerve fibers.

Free Research Field

Neuroscience

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

新生した味受容細胞と既存の味覚神経線維が、どのような分子機構により味蕾内でシナプスを形成すべき相手を認識しているのかよくわかっていない。本研究によりⅡ型細胞が適切な味覚神経線維を認識してシナプスを形成する際には、N-カドヘリン同士の同種親和性による細胞接着が重要である可能性が示唆された。味蕾におけるシナプス形成の分子機構の理解は、味覚障害の発症機構の理解につながる可能性がある。