ROCKY MOUNTAIN TASTE AND SMELL CENTER

这个多学科计划项目的目的是获得更好的 理解细胞机制和相互关系 潜在的化学感觉转导和信息传递， 人类和动物模型系统。 在联合国赞助下进行的研究 落基山美食中心将继续专注于 味觉结构/功能关系的细胞水平分析 和嗅觉受体。 该中心由五个实验室组成， 大丹佛都会区 味觉信号转导中的离子和第二信使系统 将用现代膜片钳方法学研究芽。 此外，本发明还提供了一种方法， 味觉化学特异性与味觉形态关系 将确定受体细胞。 其他研究将检查 单个味蕾内受体细胞之间的相互作用。 的 细胞之间的电和化学相互作用的可能性 将被审查。 味细胞形态与 谱系将在嵌合小鼠中进行研究。 这些实验将测试 味蕾中不同形态的细胞 代表不同的细胞系或不同的形态表现 每个味蕾内的单个细胞系。 此外该 将研究味蕾的发育以确定味觉的顺序 不同细胞类型的起源，突触和味觉孔的打开。 结构/功能相关性研究将检查这些变化是否 在伴随发展的化学特异性中， 受体细胞-神经纤维相互关系的解剖学变化。 临床和动物模型将用于嗅觉的研究。 上皮 初步结果表明，独特的结晶沉积物 可能是阿尔茨海默病患者的嗅上皮细胞 使用KEVEX系统检查患者活检组织， 确定晶体的确切原子性质，以及 它们在活检材料中的普遍性。 一个老年痴呆症的动物模型， 基于线粒体功能的破坏，将研究 嗅上皮中类似的组织病理学变化。 最后， 鼻微绒毛细胞的作用将在 为了测试这些细胞在鼻腔中发挥作用的可能性， 化学感受器系统

The aim of this multidisciplinary program project is to gain a better understanding of the cellular mechanisms and interrelationships underlying chemosensory transduction and transmission of information in both human and animal model systems. Research under the auspices of the Rocky Mountain Taste & Smell Center will continue to concentrate on a cellular level analysis of structure/function relationships in gustatory and olfactory receptors. The Center comprises five laboratories in the greater Denver metropolitan area. The ionic and second messenger systems involved in transduction in taste buds will be studied with modern patch-clamp methodology. In addition, the relationship between chemospecificity and morphology of taste receptor cells will be determined. Other studies will examine the interactions between receptor cells within single taste buds. The possibility of electrical as well as chemical interactions between cells will be examined. The relationship between taste cell morphology and lineage will be studied in chimeric mice. These experiments will test whether the different morphological types of cells within taste buds represent different cell lines or different morphological manifestations of a single cell line within each taste bud. In addition, the development of taste buds will be studied to determine the sequence of origin of different cell types, synapses and opening of the taste pore. Structure/function correlation studies will examine whether the changes in chemospecificity accompanying development are mirrored by discrete anatomical changes in the receptor cell-nerve fiber interrelationships. Clinical and animal models will be utilized in studies of the olfactory epithelium. Preliminary results demonstrate unique crystalline deposits in the olfactory epithelium of presumed Alzheimer's disease patients. Examination of the patient biopsies with an KEVEX system will permit determination of the exact atomic nature of the crystals, as well as their prevalence in the biopsy material. An animal model of Alzheimer's, based on disruption of mitochondrial function, will be studied for similar histopathologic changes in the olfactory epithelium. Finally, the role of the nasal microvillar cell will be investigated further in order to test the possibility that these cells play a role in nasal chemoreceptor systems.