Table 1.
Characteristic tuft cell markers enable identification across distinct epithelia, and associated genetic tools.
| Markera | Expression and exceptions | Putative function | Useful mouse toolsb |
|---|---|---|---|
| Structural | |||
| DCLK1 | Most, not in Type II taste bud cells and olfactory epithelium | Microtubule polymerization |
Dclk1-CreERT2-IRES-EGFP (107), Dclk1-CreERT (93) Dclk1-CreGFP (93) |
| Acetylated α-tubulin | All, apically enriched | Protection of long-lived microtubules from mechanical aging | NA |
| Keratin 18 | All | Structural integrity | NA |
| Villin | Apically enriched in tuft cells, expressed by other cells | Actin-binding, microfilament bundling | Vil1-Cre, Vil1-CreERT (91) |
| Chemosensation | |||
| α-gustducin | Most, incomplete overlap with TRPM5 in intestine (143) | α subunit of heterotrimeric G protein |
Gnat3-GFP (144) Gnat3−/− (12) |
| PLCβ2 | Most, incomplete overlap with TRPM5 in intestine (143) | Catalyzing formation of IP3 and DAG from PIP2 |
Plcb2-GFP (145, 146) Plcb2−/− (147) |
| TRPM5 | All | Depolarizing Ca2+-activated cation channel |
Trpm5-GFP (6, 143) Trpm5−/− (12) |
| ChAT | Most, not in Type II taste bud cells (16) | Choline acetyltransferase catalyzing synthesis of acetylcholine |
Chat-eGFP (16) Chat-Cre (148) Other literature: Chat-CreERT2 (149) Chatfl/fl (150, 151) |
| T1Rs, T2Rs | Most, possibly in combinatorial pattern | Taste reception |
Tas1R1-BL-IRES-mCherry (152) Tas1R2-LacZ (153) Tas1R2-Cre (154) Tas1R3-GFP (155) Tas2r131-BL-IRES-hrGFP (152) Tas2r131-BL-IRES-Cre (156) Tas2r143-CreERT2 (40) Multiple KO alleles for Tas1Rs and Tas2Rs |
| Other | |||
| POU2F3 | All | Lineage-defining transcription factor | Pou2f3−/− (99) |
| GFI1B | All | Zinc finger transcriptional repressor |
Gfi1b-GFP (92) Gfi1bfl/fl (157, 158) |
| COX1, COX2 | All | Prostanoid synthesis | Multiple (conditional) KO alleles |
| PGDS | All? | Prostaglandin-D synthesis | Hpgds−/− |
| IL-25 | All | Type 2-associated cytokine, IL-17 family member | Il25fl/fl-IRES-RFP (11) |