PUBLICATION
Confocal imaging of Merkel-like basal cells in the taste buds of zebrafish
- Authors
- Zachar, P.C., and Jonz, M.G.
- ID
- ZDB-PUB-110512-11
- Date
- 2012
- Source
- Acta histochemica 114(2): 101-115 (Journal)
- Registered Authors
- Jonz, Michael G.
- Keywords
- mechanoreceptor, pharynx, serotonin, gustatory, somatosensory, common chemical sense, zebrafish
- MeSH Terms
-
- Animals
- Epithelium/metabolism
- Gills/cytology
- Gills/innervation
- Larva/cytology
- Larva/metabolism
- Maxilla/cytology
- Merkel Cells/cytology*
- Merkel Cells/metabolism
- Microscopy, Confocal
- Nerve Tissue Proteins/metabolism
- Oropharynx/cytology
- Oropharynx/innervation
- Serotonin/metabolism
- Taste Buds/cytology*
- Taste Buds/metabolism
- Zebrafish/anatomy & histology*
- Zebrafish/metabolism
- Zebrafish Proteins/metabolism
- PubMed
- 21477848 Full text @ Acta Histochem.
Citation
Zachar, P.C., and Jonz, M.G. (2012) Confocal imaging of Merkel-like basal cells in the taste buds of zebrafish. Acta histochemica. 114(2):101-115.
Abstract
The oropharyngeal cavity in fish supports a range of sensory modalities, including detection of chemical and mechanical stimuli. Taste buds are found throughout this tissue and may participate in both processes. We used confocal microscopy and immunohistochemistry to characterize the morphology of Merkel-like cells and their association with other cell types and nerve fibers of the taste bud in the vertebrate model, the zebrafish. In addition, we document procedures for the observation of these structures in whole-tissue preparations from larvae and adults using zebrafish-specific and monoclonal antibodies. A single microvillus Merkel-like cell was found in each taste bud regardless of age or location. Merkel-like cells were neurosecretory, as indicated by labelling with the styryl dye, FM1-43, and the synaptic vesicle marker, SV2. Merkel-like cells were associated with SV2- and calretinin-positive taste receptor cells, received innervation from discoid aggregations of nerve fibers, and retained serotonin-filled synaptic vesicles oriented within the cytoplasm toward adjacent innervation. Moreover, a ring-like formation of nerve endings was identified with the neuronal marker, zn-12 that circumscribed the taste receptor area, surrounding calretinin-immunoreactive taste cell microvilli, and appeared to associate with the nerve plexus adjacent to Merkel-like cells. We suggest that these nerve fibers are somatosensory, perhaps associated with mechanoreception or the common chemical sense.
Genes / Markers
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping