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Mouse taste cells with glialike membrane properties.

A Bigiani1

  • 1Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Sezione di Fisiologia, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, 41100 Modena, Italy. bigiani@unimo.it

Journal of Neurophysiology
|April 5, 2001
PubMed
Summary

Researchers identified novel "Leaky" cells in mouse taste buds. These cells possess a unique potassium and chloride conductance, potentially regulating the taste bud microenvironment and acting as glialike cells.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Sensory Biology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Taste buds contain heterogeneous taste cells crucial for chemotransduction.
  • The narrow intercellular spaces in taste buds suggest activity-dependent ionic changes.
  • The existence of glialike cells controlling the taste bud microenvironment has been postulated but not functionally identified.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To functionally identify glialike cells within taste buds.
  • To characterize the electrophysiological properties of these putative glialike cells.

Main Methods:

  • Patch-clamp technique in voltage-clamp conditions was used.
  • Electrophysiological recordings were performed on cells from mouse vallate papilla taste buds.
  • Pharmacological agents (Ba(2+), tetraethylammonium) were used to identify ion conductances.

Main Results:

  • A new cell type, termed "Leaky" cells, was identified, comprising ~30% of patched cells.
  • "Leaky" cells exhibit a large, Ba(2+)-sensitive potassium leakage current and a Cl(-) conductance.
  • These cells have low input resistance and a resting potential near the potassium equilibrium potential, consistent with glialike function.

Conclusions:

  • "Leaky" cells possess electrophysiological properties suggesting they function as glialike cells in taste buds.
  • These cells may play a critical role in regulating the ionic microenvironment of taste buds.
  • The findings support a model where specific cells control the chemical composition of intercellular fluid in taste buds.

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