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Microtubules and filaments in the taste bud

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Summary

Electron microscopic investigation in the taste bud of the foliate papillae of the rabbit has distinguished two filamentous structures: microtubules and filaments.

Microtubules are about 230–270 Å in diameter and have a light core about 150 Å in diameter and a wall about 60 Å in thickness.

Filaments appear as tubule-like structures about 70–100 Å in diameter, with a light core about 30 Å in diameter and a wall thickness about 30–40 Å in diameter. The wall seems to be formed by some dense subunits from which spoke-like side-arms appear to radiate. Such tubule-like substructure is easily recognizable in the apical region of the cells.

Filaments are prominent in number as compared to microtubules.

In the taste bud, the differentiation of the cells is accompanied by a progressive increase in number of filaments. In the mature cells, bundles of filaments are arranged parallel to the longitudinally oriented plasma membranes of the cells whereas in the immature cells they are randomly arranged.

The cytoskeletal and intracellular transport function of filamentous structures is discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro per la Chimica dei Recettori del C.N.R., Istituto di Anatomia Umana Normale dell'Università Cattolica Roma, Italy

    Corrado Olivieri-Sangiacomo

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  1. Corrado Olivieri-Sangiacomo
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Grateful acknowledgment is made to Dr. Nicolò Miani for his helpful discussion and critical reading of the manuscript and to Mr. Vincenzo Panetta for his skillful assistance.

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Olivieri-Sangiacomo, C. Microtubules and filaments in the taste bud. Z.Zellforsch 122, 397–410 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00935998

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