Establishment of a molecular platform of taste cell development and regeneration

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26892026
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Integrative animal science
• Research Institution: Tokyo University of Agriculture
• Principal Investigator: Iwatsuki Ken 東京農業大学, 応用生物科学部, 准教授 (50332375)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-08-29 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 発生 / 味細胞 / 幹細胞 / 三次元培養

Outline of Final Research Achievements

It is clear that taste cells regenerate, while there had been a paucity of molecular and biochemical information of how taste stem cells turn into mature taste cells. We have done extensive screening of the gene expression analysis using DNA microarray analysis and found CD133 as one of the taste progenitor marker. To further analyze temporal expression of CD133 during taste cell differentiation, we have generated 3-D taste culture system and performed RNA-Seq analysis. We found that CD133 might be a candidate for taste progenitor cells since the expression pattern of CD133 mRNA resembles to the molecule which change their expression pattern from stem cell state to mature state.
The knowledge gained from our present study will provide the foundation for future therapies to treat ageusic and dygeusic patients for improvement of the quality of life.

Free Research Field

内胚葉の発生・分化