BDNF is required for the normal development of taste neurons in vivo.
The vallate gustatory epithelium of neonatal trkB null mutant mice (-/-) lacked innervation. This prompted the evaluation of null mutant mice corresponding to the three neurotrophin ligands for tyrosine kinase receptor B (TrkB): brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neurotrophin (NT)3, NT4. The vallate gustatory epithelium of nt3-/- mice and of nt4-/- mice appeared normal. Only bdnf-/- mice had a vallate papilla that was stunted, sparsely innervated, and lacked up to 98% of its taste buds. All three defects persisted. For example, the vallate papilla of 12-day-old bdnf-/- mice remained markedly less well innervated than the vallate of 7-day-old or newborn bdnf+/+ mice. The foliate taste papillae of neonatal bdnf-/- mice had similar defects. We conclude that the normal development of taste neurons requires BDNF.
Zhang
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C
Department of Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 48109-1048, USA.
Brandemihl
A
A
Lau
D
D
Lawton
A
A
Oakley
B
B
D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D005260:Female; D006579:Heterozygote; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D020933:Neurotrophin 3; D020801:Receptor, Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D013650:Taste Buds / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*
D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D020933:Neurotrophin 3; D020801:Receptor, Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor; C073922:neurotrophin 4