哺乳动物舌面味蕾的发育

根据近年来有关大鼠、小鼠味觉发育方面的大量研究,对哺乳动物味蕾(taste buds)发育的情况进行了综述和讨论.哺乳动物舌面上的味蕾分布在菌状乳头(fungiform papillae,FF)、叶状乳头(foliate papillae,FL)、轮廓状乳头(circumvallate papillae,CV)之中,味蕾细胞(taste bud cells)不断地进行着周期性的更新,味蕾的形态、数量和功能随动物随年龄而变化.有关味孔头的研究表明,味乳头(gustatory papillae)在味蕾形成和维持味蕾存在及正常发育方面有着独特的功能.味乳头和味蕾的发育过程与细胞信号分子(signaling molecules)、味觉神经(gustatory nerve fibers)等许多因素有着密切的关系,其中有些作用机理至今尚无定论.

Development of Taste Buds on the Mammalian Tongue

Taste buds on the mammalian tongue are confined to the epithelium of three types of gustatory papillae: the fungiform(FF), circumvallate(CV), and foliate(FL) . Because taste bud cells are periodically renewed, the morphogenesis, number and function of taste buds are changing with the age. Gustatory papillae are unique in the tongue in their ability to support the formation and to maintain taste buds. Evidence showed that the taste papillae play a major role in determining the number, location and size of taste buds, as well as their maintenance. Although several factors (signaling molecules, gustatory nerve fibers, etc. ) have many affinities with the development of the papillae and taste buds, the specific mechanism that regulate initiation, growth, and maintenance of the papillae and taste buds are still not clear yet.