The gene, SOX2, stimulates stem cells on the surface of the embryonic tongue and in the back of the mouth to transform into taste buds, according to the researchers. Stem cells are immature cells that can develop into several different cell types depending on what biochemical instructions they receive.
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"In my laboratory, we were studying the role of SOX2 in the development of the lung, esophagus and the gut in embryonic mice" she said. "We were quite surprised when we accidentally found the gene's role to be so pronounced in the developing tongue."
You can read more at Duke Health.
Aside from this new finding about one of our senses, I found the mechanism that the researchers used to find out this information even more curious. Here is a short description:
Pevny combined the SOX2 gene with another gene, derived from jellyfish, and inserted the combination into the animals' chromosomes. She selected the added gene for its capacity to produce a special protein, called enhanced green fluorescent protein, that glows green when exposed to ultraviolet light.
"When we shine light on tissue from these animals, any cell that is expressing SOX2 will fluoresce, or light up," Pevny explained. "This allows us to directly visualize those areas where SOX2 is active. It is a very powerful tool."
Patty
