Related Experiment Videos
Membrane-bounded intratubular bodies in rat taste buds
A Sbarbati1, D Benati, C Crescimanno
1Istituto di Anatomia Umana ed Istologia, Università di Verona, Italy.
Journal of Neurocytology
|January 20, 2000
Summary
Ultrastructural analysis revealed membrane-bounded bodies in taste bud cells, potentially involved in concentrating divalent cations. These structures were observed across all studied ages and in taste pore material.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Sensory Neuroscience
- Histology
Background:
- Taste bud cells possess a complex tubulo-vesicular system within their outer segments.
- The precise function of these intracellular structures remains incompletely understood.
- Previous research has not extensively detailed the ultrastructure of these bodies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the ultrastructural characteristics of membrane-bounded bodies in the taste bud outer segment.
- To investigate the presence and morphology of these bodies across different ages.
- To explore the potential role of these bodies in taste perception and ion transport.
Main Methods:
- Transmission electron microscopy was employed to examine taste bud cell ultrastructure.
- Ultrathin sections of taste receptor cells were analyzed for detailed morphological features.
- Comparative analysis was performed on samples from taste buds of various age groups.
Main Results:
- Membrane-bounded bodies exhibit round, fusiform, or oval shapes, enclosed by a trilaminar membrane.
- These bodies contain an electron-dense matrix, occasionally with inclusions.
- Similar structures were identified within the material obstructing the taste pore.
- The bodies were consistently observed in taste bud cells across all age groups studied.
Conclusions:
- The described membrane-bounded bodies are a consistent feature of taste bud outer segments.
- These bodies may be secreted onto the cell surface.
- A potential function involves the concentration of divalent cations, possibly influencing taste signaling.