MONDAY, Oct. 9, 2006 (HealthDay News) -- A gene called SOX2 plays a vital role in the development of taste buds in embryos, says a U.S. study.
In research with mice, scientists from Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill found that SOX2 stimulates stem cells on the surface of the embryonic tongue and in the back of the mouth to transform into taste buds. The scientists said they believe the same process occurs in humans.
This finding, published in the October issue of Genes and Development, improves understanding about how the behavior of certain stem cells is controlled, the researchers said.
"Not only did we find that SOX2 is crucial for the development of taste buds, but we showed that the amount of SOX2 is just as important," Brigid Hogan, chair of the department of cell biology at Duke University Medical Center and senior member of the research team, said in a prepared statement.
"If there isn't enough SOX2 present, or if there is too much, the stem cells will not turn into taste buds," Hogan said.
Previous research had determined that SOX2 plays an important role in the development of stem cells in the brain, eye, and inner ear into specialized nerve cells.
More information
The U.S. National Institutes of Health has more about stem cells.
