Contribution of Underlying Connective Tissue Cells to Taste Buds in Mouse Tongue and Soft Palate
Fig 5
Derivation of taste bud cells from Vimentin-expressing cells in the underlying connective tissue.
A, B: In adult wild type mice, the immunoreactivity of Vimentin (Vim, green) was extensively distributed in the tongue connective tissue but not in the epithelium or Krt8+ taste bud cells (red in A). A subpopulation of Vimentin+ cells were also labeled with proliferating cell marker Ki67 (red in B, arrowheads). C: In adult Vimentin-CreER/mGFP mouse, tamoxifen induced mGFP+ cells were seen within the Krt8 (red) labeled taste buds in fungiform and circumvallate papillae in addition to the extensive distribution of mGFP+ cells in the underlying connective tissue. White dots demarcate the border between epithelium and lamina propria with arrows pointing to the connective tissues. Red dotted lines in A and C encircle the taste buds. Arrowheads in C (Fungiform) point to the unlabeled mGFP− epithelial cells. Scale bars: 20 μm for all images (fluorescent light microphotographs in A and single plane confocal images in B and C).