Regulation of taste neuron morphology and function

项目总结： 味觉传导细胞检测食物中的化学物质，并将这些信息传递给周围的味觉 神经节神经元(味觉神经元)将这一信息传递到大脑。味觉神经元的轴突在 分枝特征，有的分枝很少，有的分枝很多。然而，目前还不清楚是如何 这些不同的形态不同于塑性和/或功能。我们在这里的目标是澄清 品尝神经元的形态、可塑性、遗传类型和功能，以便深入了解外周 品味系统的组织。味觉神经元的形态可能是连接性差异的基础，但也是 很可能受可塑性的影响。即使在成年人中，味觉感受器细胞也会不断更新，必须不断地 吸引并连接到神经纤维，神经元形态的一些变化可能是这一过程的一部分。 此外，神经元在其分支上的差异可能具有重要的功能。例如, 简单分支的神经元只能与少数味觉传导细胞连接，而大量分支的神经元只能与少数味觉传导细胞连接 很可能会连接到更多的味觉传导细胞。目前，这些差异在以下方面的意义 趋同尚不清楚。在这个项目中，我们建议调查调节味觉差异的因素 神经元的形态和神经元之间的分支特征，并将这些因素与神经元功能联系起来。 具体地说，在目标1中，我们将确定味觉神经元轴突形态的哪些方面是稳定的和 它会随着时间的推移而改变。在目标2中，我们将确定神经元形态的哪些方面由 内在因素(即细胞类型)以及该因素与功能的关系。最后，在目标3中，我们将确定 神经元形态的哪些方面是由外源性(即神经营养因子)发育因素决定的 以及这些特征与神经元功能的关系。我们假设味蕾内部的分支是受调控的 通过可塑性，而味蕾外的分支受内在和外在的组合调节 影响味觉神经元敏感度和调谐广度的特征。

Project Summary: Taste-transducing cells detect chemicals in our food and communicate this information to peripheral taste ganglion neurons (taste neurons), which carry this information to the brain. The axons of taste neurons vary in branching characteristics, some branching little and others branching a great deal. However, it is unclear how these differing morphologies underly plasticity and/or function. Our goal here is to clarify the relationship between taste neuron morphology, plasticity, genetic type, and function in order to gain insight into the peripheral organization of the taste system. Taste neuron morphology may underlie differences in connectivity, but is also likely regulated by plasticity. Even in adults, taste receptor cells undergo continuous renewal and must constantly attract and connect to nerve fibers, and some variation in neuron morphology likely occurs as part of this process. Additionally, differences between neurons in their branching likely have functional importance. For example, simply branched neurons can only connect with a few taste-transducing cells, while heavily branched neurons likely connect to many more taste-transducing cells. Currently, the significance of these differences in convergence are unclear. In this project, we propose to investigate factors that regulate differences in taste neuron morphology and branching characteristics between neurons and relate these factors to neuron function. Specifically, in Aim 1, we will determine which aspects of the axon morphologies of taste neurons are stable and which change over time. In Aim 2, we will determine which aspects of neuron morphologies are determined by an intrinsic factor (i.e., cell type) and how this factor correlates with function. Finally, in Aim 3, we will determine which aspects of neuron morphologies are determined by extrinsic (i.e., neurotrophins) developmental factors and how these features relate to neuron function. We hypothesize that branching inside the taste bud is regulated by plasticity, while branching outside the taste bud is regulated by a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic features, which influence taste neuron sensitivity and breadth of tuning.