Fig. 6

c-Kit signaling functions universally across various taste bud locations and papilla types. a Representative confocal images of FuP sections from control and chorda tympani nerve transected (CTx) mice at 1, 2, and 4 weeks post-operation (n = 6, 3, 5, 4). Sections were triple-immunostained with anti-Krt13 (green), anti-Krt14 (red), and anti-Krt8 (cyan). DAPI (blue) was used for counterstaining nuclei. b Morphometric analysis of TB changes in response to CTx: TB width (left) and height (right). Data are presented as means ± SEM. One-way ANOVA with post-hoc Bonferroni corrections. **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001, ns not significant. c Representative confocal images, triple-immunostained with anti-NTPdase2 (red, type I cells), anti-TRPM5 (green, type II cells), and anti-Car4 (cyan, type III cells). d Proportional changes in the composition of TCs from control and CTx mice at 1, 2, and 4 weeks post-operation. e Confocal images of FuP sections from T1r2-tdTomato mice at 2 weeks post-operation, treated with vehicle or imatinib, and stained with anti-tdTomato (red) and anti-c-Kit (cyan). DAPI (blue) was used for counterstaining nuclei. f Confocal images of CVP sections from T1r2-tdTomato mice at 2 weeks post-operation, treated with vehicle or imatinib, and stained with anti-NTPdase2 (green), anti-tdTomato (red), and anti-Car4 (cyan). DAPI (blue) was used for counterstaining nuclei. Scale bars, 50 μm