Study Shows C-kit–expressing Sweet Cells Are Central To Taste Bud Regeneration After Nerve Injury

Taste is 1 of our astir captious senses, shaping appetite, nutrition, and value of life. Yet sensation buds are fragile, relying heavy connected nan nerves that link them to nan brain. When those nerves are trim aliases damaged, sensation buds usually deteriorate - but later regenerate arsenic nerves regrow. How this betterment occurs has remained unclear. 

Now, a study led by Dr. Dong-Hoon Kim and Professor Yong Taek Jeong astatine Korea University College of Medicine, published successful nan International Journal of Oral Science connected September 10, 2025, reveals nan cardinal players successful this process. The squad discovered that sweet-sensing sensation cells past nervus wounded acknowledgment to a macromolecule called c-Kit - and that these cells are basal for sensation bud regeneration.

Using rodent models and sensation bud organoids, nan researchers showed that erstwhile c-Kit signaling was blocked pinch nan crab supplier imatinib (Gleevec), nan surviving saccharine cells disappeared. Without these cells, different sensation cells grounded to regenerate, proving that c-Kit signaling underpins some endurance and recovery.

To understand nan value of these findings and what they mean for mundane taste, nan researchers said astir their activity successful much detail.

Q: What do your findings uncover astir sensation buds?
Prof. Jeong explained, "Our sensation buds are made up of various cells that observe different flavors for illustration sweet, bitter, salty, sour, and umami. It's agelong been known that these sensation buds are intimately connected to our sensation nerves, arsenic they are wherever nan first sensation signals are formed earlier being sent to nan brain."

Jeong's squad confirmed what scientists person known for decades - that erstwhile nan nerves to a sensation bud are cut, nan bud degenerates and later regenerates arsenic nan nerves regrow. But their study precocious this knowing by showing that nan grade of degeneration and betterment depends connected nan type of sensation compartment involved, pinch sweet-sensing cells proving acold much resilient than different types. This helps explicate mundane changes successful sensation - for example, during a communal cold, erstwhile immoderate sensation qualities slice faster than others because nan underlying sensation cells accommodate differently.

Q: How did you trial resilience and what other did you observe astir recovery?

"We utilized nervus transection successful mice to mimic wounded and recovered that c-Kit–expressing saccharine cells consistently survived. In organoid cultures, these cells continued to turn moreover erstwhile endurance factors were withdrawn. But erstwhile we blocked c-Kit pinch imatinib, nan surviving saccharine cells vanished and regeneration was delayed.

We besides discovered that it's not conscionable saccharine cells that matter. Some Type III cells acquired stem-like properties, helping repair nan epithelial lining astir sensation buds. This shows that aggregate compartment types are progressive successful betterment - c-Kit+ saccharine cells lead regeneration, while Type III cells lend to repair," Prof. Jeong said.

Q: What could this mean for nan early of sensation research?
"This is nan first find that allows america to selectively power circumstantial types of sensation cells. While it does not instantly construe into treatment, it provides a instauration for early activity connected sensation resilience and recovery. In nan agelong term, this could guideline caller approaches to improving nutrition, supporting patients pinch sensation disorders, and moreover advancing spirit science. By identifying c-Kit arsenic a cardinal facet successful saccharine compartment survival, we now person a building artifact for much precise power complete taste," Jeong noted.

This study shows that c-Kit–expressing saccharine cells are cardinal to sensation bud regeneration aft nervus injury, pinch Type III cells besides contributing done repair. By identifying c-Kit arsenic a protective factor, nan investigation explains why immoderate sensation qualities persist longer than others and lays nan groundwork for early efforts to selectively power taste.