Facilitation of the development of fungiform taste buds by early intraoral acesulfame-K stimulation to mice.

The gustatory system is susceptible to anatomical modification by postnatal taste stimulations. This study investigated the effects of early intraoral infusion of acesulfame-K solution on the development of fungiform taste buds in mice. It was found that the acesulfame-K infusion increased the number, promoted the maturation, and enlarged the size of taste bud during the postnatal stages, compared with the age-matched controls. This provides fundamental and new information about the development of taste bud under normal and early acesulfame-K-stimulated conditions.