Three-Dimensional Imaging and Gene Expression Analysis Upon Enzymatic Isolation of the Tongue Epithelium

The tongue is a complex organ involved in a variety of functions such as mastication, speech and taste sensory function. Enzymatic digestion techniques have been developed to allow the dissociation of the epithelium from the connective tissue of the tongue. However, it is not clear if the integrity and three-dimensional architecture of the isolated epithelium is preserved, and, furthermore if this tissue separation technique excludes its...