Transsynaptic transport of wheat germ agglutinin expressed in a subset of type II taste cells of transgenic mice

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Anatomical tracing of neural circuits originating from specific subsets of taste receptor cells may shed light on interactions between taste cells within the taste bud and taste cell-to nerve interactions. It is unclear for example,...

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Main Authors: Mosinger Bedrich, Damak Sami, Margolskee Robert F
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2008-10-01
Series:BMC Neuroscience
Online Access:http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2202/9/96
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author Mosinger Bedrich
Damak Sami
Margolskee Robert F
author_facet Mosinger Bedrich
Damak Sami
Margolskee Robert F
author_sort Mosinger Bedrich
collection DOAJ
description <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Anatomical tracing of neural circuits originating from specific subsets of taste receptor cells may shed light on interactions between taste cells within the taste bud and taste cell-to nerve interactions. It is unclear for example, if activation of type II cells leads to direct activation of the gustatory nerves, or whether the information is relayed through type III cells. To determine how WGA produced in T1r3-expressing taste cells is transported into gustatory neurons, transgenic mice expressing WGA-IRES-GFP driven by the T1r3 promoter were generated.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Immunohistochemistry showed co-expression of WGA, GFP and endogenous T1r3 in the taste bud cells of transgenic mice: the only taste cells immunoreactive for WGA were the T1r3-expressing cells. The WGA antibody also stained intragemmal nerves. WGA, but not GFP immunoreactivity was found in the geniculate and petrosal ganglia of transgenic mice, indicating that WGA was transported across synapses. WGA immunoreactivity was also found in the trigeminal ganglion, suggesting that T1r3-expressing cells make synapses with trigeminal neurons. In the medulla, WGA was detected in the nucleus of the solitary tract but also in the nucleus ambiguus, the vestibular nucleus, the trigeminal nucleus and in the gigantocellular reticular nucleus. WGA was not detected in the parabrachial nucleus, or the gustatory cortex.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These results show the usefulness of genetically encoded WGA as a tracer for the first and second order neurons that innervate a subset of taste cells, but not for higher order neurons, and demonstrate that the main route of output from type II taste cells is the gustatory neuron, not the type III cells.</p>
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spelling doaj.art-4bfc355377c641e498b93bd3ceac056a2022-12-22T00:57:23ZengBMCBMC Neuroscience1471-22022008-10-01919610.1186/1471-2202-9-96Transsynaptic transport of wheat germ agglutinin expressed in a subset of type II taste cells of transgenic miceMosinger BedrichDamak SamiMargolskee Robert F<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Anatomical tracing of neural circuits originating from specific subsets of taste receptor cells may shed light on interactions between taste cells within the taste bud and taste cell-to nerve interactions. It is unclear for example, if activation of type II cells leads to direct activation of the gustatory nerves, or whether the information is relayed through type III cells. To determine how WGA produced in T1r3-expressing taste cells is transported into gustatory neurons, transgenic mice expressing WGA-IRES-GFP driven by the T1r3 promoter were generated.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Immunohistochemistry showed co-expression of WGA, GFP and endogenous T1r3 in the taste bud cells of transgenic mice: the only taste cells immunoreactive for WGA were the T1r3-expressing cells. The WGA antibody also stained intragemmal nerves. WGA, but not GFP immunoreactivity was found in the geniculate and petrosal ganglia of transgenic mice, indicating that WGA was transported across synapses. WGA immunoreactivity was also found in the trigeminal ganglion, suggesting that T1r3-expressing cells make synapses with trigeminal neurons. In the medulla, WGA was detected in the nucleus of the solitary tract but also in the nucleus ambiguus, the vestibular nucleus, the trigeminal nucleus and in the gigantocellular reticular nucleus. WGA was not detected in the parabrachial nucleus, or the gustatory cortex.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These results show the usefulness of genetically encoded WGA as a tracer for the first and second order neurons that innervate a subset of taste cells, but not for higher order neurons, and demonstrate that the main route of output from type II taste cells is the gustatory neuron, not the type III cells.</p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2202/9/96
spellingShingle Mosinger Bedrich
Damak Sami
Margolskee Robert F
Transsynaptic transport of wheat germ agglutinin expressed in a subset of type II taste cells of transgenic mice
BMC Neuroscience
title Transsynaptic transport of wheat germ agglutinin expressed in a subset of type II taste cells of transgenic mice
title_full Transsynaptic transport of wheat germ agglutinin expressed in a subset of type II taste cells of transgenic mice
title_fullStr Transsynaptic transport of wheat germ agglutinin expressed in a subset of type II taste cells of transgenic mice
title_full_unstemmed Transsynaptic transport of wheat germ agglutinin expressed in a subset of type II taste cells of transgenic mice
title_short Transsynaptic transport of wheat germ agglutinin expressed in a subset of type II taste cells of transgenic mice
title_sort transsynaptic transport of wheat germ agglutinin expressed in a subset of type ii taste cells of transgenic mice
url http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2202/9/96
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AT damaksami transsynaptictransportofwheatgermagglutininexpressedinasubsetoftypeiitastecellsoftransgenicmice
AT margolskeerobertf transsynaptictransportofwheatgermagglutininexpressedinasubsetoftypeiitastecellsoftransgenicmice