哺乳动物味蕾发育与重建的研究现状

Development and homeostasis of taste buds in mammals

哺乳动物可感受酸、甜、苦、咸、鲜五种味道,不同的味觉有助于机体鉴别营养物质和有毒有害物质,对哺乳动物的生存具有极其重要的意义。味觉的产生需要味蕾、外周神经系统及中枢神经系统的协同工作。目前对哺乳动物味蕾的发育与重建已经有了较为深入的研究,特别是通过小鼠模型的研究,在分子层面对上述两个过程有了一定认知。这一领域内的深入研究将有利于对味觉障碍与味觉丧失等疾病进行精准防治。

Taste is mediated by multicellular taste buds distributed throughout the oral and pharyngeal cavities. The taste buds can detect five basic tastes： sour, sweet, bitter, salty and umami, allowing mammals to select nutritious foods and avoid the ingestion of toxic and rotten foods. Once developed, the taste buds undergo continuous renewal throughout the adult life. In the past decade, significant progress has been achived in delineating the cellular and molecular mechanisms governing taste buds development and homeostasis. With this knowledges and in-depth investigations in the future, we can achieve the precise management of taste dysfunctions such as dysgeusia and ageusia.