The lining of the mouth and pharynx of vertebrates contains clusters of chemoreceptive cells, called taste buds. Taste buds differentiate directly from the epithelium that lines the oro-pharyngeal cavity. In amphibians, the oro-pharyngeal epithelium develops from the anterior endoderm of the embryo. Cultures of the anterior endoderm produce taste buds without influence from other embryonic tissues. Because these cultures produce a mixture of both taste buds and epithelium, this implies that decisions are made within this tissue which result in some cells becoming taste buds while others become epithelial cells. I propose to examine the role of cell-cell interactions in the specification of taste bud precursor cells (Aim 1). Preliminary experiments have shown that disruption of normal cell contacts during a critical stage of development causes an increase in the number of taste buds produced by the anterior endoderm. The increase in taste bud number observed upon disruption of cell contacts is reminiscent of the effects seen upon disruption of Notch/Delta mediated lateral inhibition. I will determine whether genes involved in the Notch signaling pathway are present in the anterior endoderm during the critical period for cell contacts (Aim 2). Finally, if members of the Notch signaling pathway are present in the anterior endoderm during the critical period I plan to investigate what role they may play in specifying taste bud precursor cells (Aim 3).

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
Type
Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F31)
Project #
5F31DC005088-02
Application #
6516311
Study Section
Communication Disorders Review Committee (CDRC)
Program Officer
Sklare, Dan
Project Start
2002-07-01
Project End
Budget Start
2002-07-01
Budget End
2003-06-30
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2002
Total Cost
$24,508
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Denver
Department
Biology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
City
Denver
State
CO
Country
United States
Zip Code
80208
Parker, Mark A; Bell, Melanie L; Barlow, Linda A (2004) Cell contact-dependent mechanisms specify taste bud pattern during a critical period early in embryonic development. Dev Dyn 230:630-42
Bell, Melanie L; Grunwald, Gary K (2004) Mixed models for the analysis of replicated spatial point patterns. Biostatistics 5:633-48