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内器官，对于味觉检测至关重要。味蕾细胞区分有营养的和潜在有毒的，并将此信息传递给支配它们的味觉神经。尽管最近在理解味觉转导背后的分子信号传导方面取得了进展，但对细胞与细胞相互作用以及信息向周围神经系统的传递的完整理解仍然缺乏。我们建议使用一种新发明的技术，即串行块面扫描 EM，来生成味蕾结构的完整 3D 图片。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他细胞类型，或者是否有潜力分子上不同的化学传感器元件之间的功能连接，以及3）非典型线粒体是否是仅位于味觉细胞（苦味、甜味和鲜味）和神经纤维之间专门接触点的独特器官。对味蕾详细结构的更深入了解将有助于研究人员制定有关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。