Date of Award

1-1-2008

Document Type

Masters Thesis

Degree Name

M.S.

Organizational Unit

College of Natual Science and Mathematics

First Advisor

John C. Kinnamon, Ph.D.

Second Advisor

Joseph Angleson

Third Advisor

Christina Coughlan

Keywords

ATP, Connexin, Pannexin, Purinergic receptors, Taste

Abstract

P2X2 receptors and P2Y4 receptors are ATP-activated cell surface receptors that gate movement of K+, Na+, and Ca2+. We used immunocytochemistry for P2X2 and P2Y4 receptors as well as taste cell type markers to learn if P2X2 immunoreactivity (IR) is present in nerve processes in close apposition to Type II and/or Type III taste cells. We also tested to see if P2Y4 IR is present in Type II and/or Type III taste cells. Our results indicate that P2X2 is present only in intragemmal nerve processes. P2X2-LIR nerve processes form close contacts with Type II and Type III taste cells. P2Y4 IR is present in Type II cells that also display IP3R3 IR, and in Type III cells with Syntaxin-1 IR and 5-HT IR. These data suggest that ATP stimulates P2X2 receptors on nerve processes and P2Y4 receptors present on both Type II cells and Type III cells.

Publication Statement

Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.

Rights Holder

Alana Marselle Montoya

Provenance

Received from ProQuest

File Format

application/pdf

Language

en

File Size

95 p.

Discipline

Neurosciences

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