Foliate Taste Bud Analysis Following Nerve Injury in Young Rats
Advisor Information
Suzanne Sollars
Location
Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Library
Presentation Type
Poster
Start Date
4-3-2016 10:45 AM
End Date
4-3-2016 12:15 PM
Abstract
The gustatory system is highly plastic, displaying distinct differences in taste bud volume across development in response to neural injury. When the chorda tympani taste nerve is cut (CTx) in adult rats, loss is temporary and the CT nerve regenerates (approximately 40 days post-CTx). This is in contrast to when CTx is performed on neonates, in which there is permanent damage to this sensory system. Previous studies have examined the effect of CT nerve injury on fungiform taste buds. The present study investigated the impact of CTx on foliate taste buds. Foliate taste buds are located bilaterally on the posterior portion of the tongue along deep folds and the CT nerve innervates these taste buds. CTx was performed on both neonatal (P10) and juvenile (P25) aged Sprague- Dawley rats and they were sacrificed at either 8 or 50 post-CTx. Tongues were extracted, sectioned in a cryostat, and then stained with hematoxylin and eosin for taste bud visualization, followed by volume measurement. In this ongoing project, it is expected that severing the CT nerve will lead to a permanent reduction in taste bud volume. Specifically, the neonatal age condition is predicted to show a greater reduction in foliate taste bud volume than the juvenile aged rats based on previous studies indicating severe effects of CTX seen in young versus old rats.
Foliate Taste Bud Analysis Following Nerve Injury in Young Rats
Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Library
The gustatory system is highly plastic, displaying distinct differences in taste bud volume across development in response to neural injury. When the chorda tympani taste nerve is cut (CTx) in adult rats, loss is temporary and the CT nerve regenerates (approximately 40 days post-CTx). This is in contrast to when CTx is performed on neonates, in which there is permanent damage to this sensory system. Previous studies have examined the effect of CT nerve injury on fungiform taste buds. The present study investigated the impact of CTx on foliate taste buds. Foliate taste buds are located bilaterally on the posterior portion of the tongue along deep folds and the CT nerve innervates these taste buds. CTx was performed on both neonatal (P10) and juvenile (P25) aged Sprague- Dawley rats and they were sacrificed at either 8 or 50 post-CTx. Tongues were extracted, sectioned in a cryostat, and then stained with hematoxylin and eosin for taste bud visualization, followed by volume measurement. In this ongoing project, it is expected that severing the CT nerve will lead to a permanent reduction in taste bud volume. Specifically, the neonatal age condition is predicted to show a greater reduction in foliate taste bud volume than the juvenile aged rats based on previous studies indicating severe effects of CTX seen in young versus old rats.