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Signalling mechanisms in mouse bitter responsive taste cells

Masataka Narukawa1, Eiko Minamisawa, Yukako Hayashi

  • 1Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.

Neuroreport
|June 30, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Mouse bitter taste perception relies on intracellular calcium (Ca2+) release. This study found that alpha-gustducin and IP3R3 are key components in this bitter transduction pathway.

Area of Science:

  • * Neuroscience
  • * Cell Biology
  • * Sensory Biology

Background:

  • * Understanding the molecular mechanisms of taste perception is crucial for sensory biology.
  • * Intracellular signaling pathways, particularly involving calcium ions (Ca2+), play a significant role in taste transduction.

Purpose of the Study:

  • * To elucidate the components involved in intracellular bitter taste transduction in mice.
  • * To investigate the expression patterns of key transduction elements.
  • * To determine the contribution of intracellular Ca2+ stores to bitter perception.

Main Methods:

  • * Examined the expression of transduction components in taste receptor cells.
  • * Utilized immunohistochemistry to identify cells expressing alpha-gustducin and IP3R3.
  • * Assessed the impact of intracellular Ca2+ depletion using the inhibitor thapsigargin.

Main Results:

  • * 63% of bitter-responsive cells expressed the taste tissue-specific G-protein alpha-gustducin.
  • * 78% of alpha-gustducin-positive cells also expressed IP3R3, a receptor for intracellular Ca2+ release.
  • * Depleting intracellular Ca2+ stores with thapsigargin abolished bitter responses in 83% of taste cells.

Conclusions:

  • * Intracellular Ca2+ release from intracellular stores is a critical step in mouse bitter taste transduction.
  • * The G-protein alpha-gustducin and the IP3R3 receptor are integral to this process.

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