Intravital microscopic interrogation of peripheral taste sensation.
Intravital microscopy is a powerful tool in neuroscience but has not been adapted to the taste sensory organ due to anatomical constraint. Here we developed an imaging window to facilitate microscopic access to the murine tongue in vivo. Real-time two-photon microscopy allowed the visualization of three-dimensional microanatomy of the intact tongue mucosa and functional activity of taste cells in response to topically administered tastants in live mice. Video microscopy also showed the calcium activity of taste cells elicited by small-sized tastants in the blood circulation. Molecular kinetic analysis suggested that intravascular taste sensation takes place at the microvilli on the apical side of taste cells after diffusion of the molecules through the pericellular capillaries and tight junctions in the taste bud. Our results demonstrate the capabilities and utilities of the new tool for taste research in vivo.
1] Harvard Medical School and Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 65 Landsdowne St., UP-5, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA [2] Global Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, 2066 Seobu-ro, Jangan-Gu, Suwon, South Korea.
Myunghwan
M
Choi
1] Harvard Medical School and Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 65 Landsdowne St., UP-5, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA [2] Research School of Engineering, Australian National University, Ian Ross Building, North Road, Canberra ACT 0200, Australia.
Woei Ming
WM
Lee
Harvard Medical School and Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 65 Landsdowne St., UP-5, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.
Seok Hyun
SH
Yun
D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008853:Microscopy / Q000379:methods*; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D013649:Taste / Q000502:physiology*; D013650:Taste Buds; D055697:Taste Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D014059:Tongue / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000098:blood supply / Q000502:physiology
D002118:Calcium