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Circadian clock-gated cell renewal controls time-dependent changes in taste sensitivity
Toru Matsu-Ura1, Atsunori Nasu1, Suengwon Lee2
1Department of Pathology, Kansai Medical University, Hirakata, Osaka 573-1010, Japan.
Summary
The circadian clock regulates cell cycles in mouse tongues, impacting taste cell populations and sensitivity. Disrupting this clock affects cell division and death, highlighting the importance of diurnal cell supply for taste function.
Area of Science:
- Chronobiology
- Cell Biology
- Sensory Neuroscience
Background:
- Circadian rhythms govern cell cycle progression, ensuring a daily supply of new cells for tissue maintenance.
- Understanding diurnal variations in organ and tissue cell populations is crucial for physiological regulation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate circadian time-dependent changes in mouse tongue epithelium cell types.
- To elucidate the role of the circadian clock in taste bud cell dynamics and function.
Main Methods:
- Single-cell RNA sequencing to analyze cell populations in mouse tongues.
- Taste bud organoid experiments to study cell cycle dynamics and gene function (e.g., Bmal1 knockdown).
- Taste tests at different times of day to assess sensory sensitivity.
Main Results:
- Circadian time-dependent changes observed in mouse tongue stem/progenitor and differentiated cells.
- Type II taste cell population dynamics showed time-dependent changes, abolished by stem cell ablation.
- Taste bud organoids exhibited a 24-h cell cycle, disrupted by Bmal1 knockdown, with rhythmic cell division and apoptosis.
- Diurnal cell supply is essential for rhythmic cell death; taste sensitivity varied diurnally, linked to type II taste cells.
Conclusions:
- Circadian clock-regulated cell cycle progression drives diurnal changes in the taste cell population.
- These cellular dynamics contribute to time-dependent physiological regulation, specifically taste sensitivity in mice.
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