Scanning Blockface 3D EM of taste buds: a new window into functional organization

扫描味蕾的 Blockface 3D EM：了解功能组织的新窗口

• 批准号: 8611806
• 负责人: Thomas E Finger
• 金额: $ 19.26万
• 依托单位: UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2013-02-05 至 2016-01-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/8611806
• 关键词: 3-Dimensional; Affect; Anatomy; Architecture; Cell Communication; Cell physiology; Cells; Chemoreceptors; Complex; Data; Databases; Detection; Elements; Face; Funding; G Protein-Coupled Receptor Genes; Image; Imagery; Individual; Investigation; Label; Lead; Mitochondria; Molecular; Mus; Nerve; Nerve Fibers; Nervous system structure; Neuroanatomy; Nutrient; Nutritional; Organelles; Pattern; Peripheral; Peripheral Nervous System; Physiological; Population; Process; Property; Research Personnel; Reticulum; Retinal; Sample Size; Scanning; Scanning Electron Microscopy; Sensory; Signal Transduction; Site; Specificity; Structure; Synapses; System; Taste Buds; Taste Perception; Technology; Testing; Time; Toxin; Type I Epithelial Receptor Cell; Type II Epithelial Receptor Cell; Type III Epithelial Receptor Cell; Visual; base; cell type; information processing; neurotransmitter release; new technology; public health relevance; receptor; reconstruction; relating to nervous system; sweet receptor; theories; transmission process

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Taste buds are complex multicellular endorgans essential for detection of taste. The cells of a taste bud distinguish between the nutritious and the potentially toxic, and communicate this information to the taste nerves innervating them. Despite recent advances in understanding the molecular signaling underlying taste transduction, a complete understanding of cell--cell interactions and transmission of information to the peripheral nervous system is lacking. We propose to use a newly invented technology, serial blockface scanning EM, to generate a complete 3D picture of taste bud structure. This will permit detailed analysis and determination of several key features including: 1) whether individual nerve fibers make functional contact with more than one cell type in a bud, 2) whether Type I cells fully separate the other cell types or whether there is potential for functional connections between the molecularly different chemosensor elements, and 3) whether atypical mitochondria are unique organlees lying only at points of specialized contact between taste cells (for bitter, sweet and umami) and nerve fibers. This greater understanding of the detailed structure of taste buds will help investigators formulate data-based hypotheses regarding functional interactions between the different cellular elements and a more clear understanding of how taste information is transmitted to the nervous system.

描述（由申请人提供）：味蕾是复杂的多细胞终末器官，对味觉检测至关重要。味蕾细胞区分营养和潜在的毒性，并将此信息传达给支配它们的味觉神经。尽管最近在理解味觉传导的分子信号传导方面取得了进展，但缺乏对细胞-细胞相互作用和向外周神经系统传递信息的完整理解。我们建议使用一种新发明的技术，串行块面扫描EM，生成一个完整的三维图像的味蕾结构。这将允许详细分析和确定几个关键特征，包括：1）单个神经纤维是否与芽中的一种以上细胞类型进行功能性接触，2）I型细胞是否完全分离其它细胞类型，或者在分子上不同的化学传感器元件之间是否存在功能性连接的潜力，以及3）非典型线粒体是否是仅位于味觉细胞（用于苦味、甜味和鲜味）与神经纤维之间的专门接触点处的独特细胞器。对味蕾详细结构的更深入了解将有助于研究人员制定关于不同细胞元素之间功能相互作用的基于数据的假设，并更清楚地了解味觉信息如何传递到神经系统。