Distribution of acetylcholine receptor subtypes in rat lingual papilla

Objective: To study whether the transfering mechanism of taste sense is from taste bud path to sensory nerve fiber of lingual papillae.Methods: Antibodies of different kinds of acetylcholine receptors(VR_1,α_2,α_3,α_4A,α_4H,α_7,β_1,and β_2) were used to investigate the distribution of the subtypes of acetylcholine receptors in filiform,fungifrom,vallate and foliate papillae in mucosa of rats.Results: There were 8 positive subtypes of AchR nerve structure in fungiform,vallate and foliate papillae,but not in filiform papillae.AchR positive products were distributed on the nerve bundles and their branches,and disappeared near taste bud.No positive nerve terminal was observed to have reached the taste bud cells.Conclusion: Contact mechanism of taste sense is not directly transfferred from taste bud up to AchR nerve fibers innervating papillaes.