top of page

Taruno Lab

Cover art_edited.jpg
味蕾組織(超解像画像)2.jpg
Home: Overview
Home: News & Resources

News

[Announcement] A seminar by Dr. Kouki Touhara on 10/18/2024

Speaker: Kouki Touhara

Position: Postdoctoral Fellow, David Julius lab, Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco

Title: Crypt and Villus Enterochromaffin Cells are Distinct Stress Sensors in the Gut

Abstract: The crypt-villus structure of the small intestine serves as a protective barrier, with enterochromaffin (EC) cells, rare sensory epithelial cells that release serotonin, monitoring the mucosal environment. Using a new reporter mouse model, we show that crypt EC cells exhibit two modes of serotonin release: TRPA1-dependent tonic release controlling basal ionic secretion, and irritant-evoked release activating gut sensory neurons. A thick mucus layer prevents TRPA1 receptors on crypt EC cells from responding to luminal irritants like reactive electrophiles; however, if compromised, crypt EC cells become susceptible to activation by these irritants. Villus EC cells detect oxidative stress through TRPM2 channels, co-releasing serotonin and ATP to activate nearby sensory fibers. Our work highlights the importance of intestinal architecture and differential TRP channel expression in sensing noxious stimuli that elicit nausea and/or pain in the gut.

Venue: Lecture Room 1, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine

Address: 465 Kajii-cho, Kamigyo ward, Kyoto

Date/Time: 16:30-18:00, Oct 18, 2024

ISOT2024 in beautiful Reykjavik

June 22, 2024

Session: “New insights into transduction and turnover of taste cells" moderated by Sue Kinnamon

Talk title: Distinct and shared traits of taste buds across anatomical locations and species uncovered by single-cell transcriptomics

Speaker: Kengo Nomura

June 24, 2024

Session: “Airway Chemosensation—the Journey from Receptors to Responses—" moderated by Akiyuki Taruno and Thomas Finger

Talk title: 

Speaker: Akiyuki Taruno

June 25, 2024

Poster title: Integration of taste information along the gustatory pathway

Speaker: Shogo Soma (Travel Fellowship recipient)

Naofumi Suematsu joined the lab.

April 1, 2024

Welcome!

A commentary on Ammonium Taste is out

December 8, 2023

Taruno. Trends Neurosci - 2023

The 10th Federation of the asian and Oceanian Physiological Societies Congress

November 1, 2023

Speaker: Akiyuki Taruno

Kokoro Inoue, Hiroko Okuda, and Rie Kato joined the lab.

April 1, 2023

Welcome!

Our review paper on salt taste is out.
November 4, 2022

Taruno and Gordon. Annual Review of Physiology - 2022

Ion Channel Modulation Symposium, Clare college, Cambridge

June 22, 2022

Speaker: Akiyuki Taruno

The 44th annual meeting of the Association for Chemoreception Sciences

April 22, 2022

Session: “Career Award Lectures” (Organizers: Danielle Reed)

Talk title: Gustatory neurotransmission mediated via the channel synapse

Speaker: Akiyuki Taruno

Akiyuki Taruno received Mid-career Investigator Award of the Association for Chemoreception Sciences (U.S.A.)

April 20, 2022

The 73rd Korean Physiological Society Annual Meeting, Korea

Oct 27, 2021

Speaker: Kengo Nomura

Speaker: Akiyuki Taruno

Akiyuki Taruno awarded JST CREST funding for the study of peripheral and central mechanisms of taste

Sep 21, 2021

Core Research for Evolutionary Science and Technology

 

Mark Sherwood joined the lab

September 1, 2021

Welcome!

The 35th Joint Annual Conference of Biomedical Science, Taiwan

June 27, 2021

Speaker: Akiyuki Taruno

The 43nd annual meeting of the Association for Chemoreception Sciences

April 29, 2021

Session: “Cell Types in Taste Buds And Tentacles” (Organizers: Thomas Finger and Sue Cinnamon)

Talk title: Salt-Responsive Cells - A Unique Cell Type?

Speaker: Akiyuki Taruno

Akiyuki Taruno chosen as one of the 2021 recipients of The Young Scientists' Award: The commendation for Science and Technology by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, and Technology - Japan.
April 6, 2021

Yu Yamada and Takanori Aoki joined the lab
April 1, 2021
Welcome!


We report post-translational regulation of the CALHM1/3 channel by N-glycosylation and S-palmitoylation, providing insights into the fine control of associated physiological processes including gustation.
March 31, 2021
Okui, Murakami et al. FASEB Journal 2021


Akiyuki Taruno chosen as one of JST FOREST researchers
Feb 2, 2021
Fusion Oriented Research for disruptive Science and Technology

 

Kengo Nomura chosen as one of JST ACT-X researchers

October 20, 2020

Our review paper on taste transduction and channel synapses is out.
September 17, 2020

Taruno et al. Pflügers Archiv - European Journal of Physiology - 2020

To transmit taste information from taste bud cells to afferent neurons, all taste qualities excluding sour employ the unique "channel synapses" which involves CALHM1/3 channels for neurotransmitter release instead of synaptic vesicles. This review summarizes the current view of taste transduction and neurotransmission with emphasis on our recent discoveries on channel synapses and salty taste.

The fantastic virtual ISOT2020

August 5, 2020

Session: “In bad taste: Sensors and Circuits for Bitter, Salty, and Sour” moderated by Emily Liman and Craig Montell

Talk title: All-electrical Signal Transduction and "Channel Synapses" Mediate Sodium Taste

Speaker: Akiyuki Taruno

We report the structures of CALHM channels (killifish CALHM1, human CALHM2 and C.elegans CLHM-1). The findings provide insights into the structure and ATP permeation of the neurotransmitter-release channel in taste cells. A wonderful collaboration with Nureki Lab (Tokyo U.)

July 17, 2020

Demura et al. Science Advances 2020

Our paper on salty taste is out.We report the identity of taste cells dedicated to the sodium-selective, attractive component of salty taste (aka sodium cells) and their intracellular signal transduction.

March 30, 2020

Nomura et al. Neuron 2020

Now how can we reduce salt intake without losing that delicious taste based on this?

Dr. Shogo Soma joined the lab

July 1, 2019

Welcome!

Dr. Nomura and Mr. Murakami joined the lab

April 1, 2019

Welcome!

We report the localization of CALHM channels in taste cells

February 2019

We report the protocol for AAV-Mediated Gene Delivery into Taste Cells

January 2019

Taruno & Kashio. Methods Mol Biol 2019

We report innate and acquired tolerance to bitter stimuli in mice

December 2018

Mura#, Taruno# et al. PLOS ONE

Taruno Lab started!

September 1, 2018

We report that CALHM1/CALHM3 is the bona fide neurotransmitter-release channel in type II taste cells

May 2018

Ma#, Taruno# et al. Neuron 2018

Review article on ATP release channels

March 2018

Taruno. Int J Mol Sci 2018

bottom of page