Sox2 is required for development of taste bud sensory cells.
Sox2 is expressed in basal epithelial cells of the tongue, with high levels in taste bud placodes, fungiform papillae, and mature taste cells, and low levels in filiform papillae. High Sox2 expression appears to lie downstream from canonical Wnt signaling. In hypomorphic Sox2(EGFP/LP) embryos, placodes form but no mature taste buds develop. In contrast, transgenic overexpression of Sox2 in the basal cells inhibits differentiation of filiform keratinocytes. Together, our loss-of-function and gain-of-function studies suggest that Sox2 functions in a dose-dependent manner to regulate the differentiation of endodermal progenitor cells of the tongue into taste bud sensory cells versus keratinocytes.
Okubo
Tadashi
T
Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA. t.okubo@nibb.ac.jp
Pevny
Larysa H
LH
Hogan
Brigid L M
BL
D000818:Animals; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008954:Models, Biological; D010641:Phenotype; D055748:SOXB1 Transcription Factors; D013650:Taste Buds / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism; D014059:Tongue / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C527782:SOX2 protein, human; D055748:SOXB1 Transcription Factors; C527783:Sox2 protein, mouse; D015534:Trans-Activators; D051153:Wnt Proteins