Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

The Physiology of Taste01:24

The Physiology of Taste

The perception of a salty flavor is facilitated by sodium ions within the oral salivary fluid. Upon consumption of a salty substance, salt crystals disassemble, leading to the liberation of its constituents—Na+ and Cl- ions. These ions subsequently dissolve into the salivary fluid present in the oral cavity. The external environment of the gustatory cells experiences an elevation in Na+ concentration, thereby establishing a potent concentration gradient. This gradient propels the diffusion of...
Gustation01:43

Gustation

Gustation is a chemical sense that, along with olfaction (smell), contributes to our perception of taste. It starts with the activation of receptors by chemical compounds (tastants) dissolved in the saliva. The saliva and filiform papillae on the tongue distribute the tastants and increase their exposure to the taste receptors.
Taste Buds and Receptors01:20

Taste Buds and Receptors

Gustation, or the sense of taste, is intrinsically linked to the anatomical structures located on the tongue. This organ's surface, along with the entirety of the oral cavity, is adorned with stratified squamous epithelium. Evident on the tongue are elevated structures known as papillae (singular = papilla), which house the mechanisms for the transduction of gustatory stimuli. Four distinct types of papillae exist, each identified by their unique morphological attributes: the circumvallate,...
The Tongue and Taste Buds00:49

The Tongue and Taste Buds

The surface of the tongue is covered with various small bumps called papillae, which either distribute what has been ingested (filiform papillae) or contain the sensory taste (or gustatory) receptor cells (fungiform, circumvallate, and foliate papillae). Embedded within each taste-related papilla are the taste buds—clusters of 30 to 100 gustatory receptor cells.
G-Protein Gated Ion Channels01:21

G-Protein Gated Ion Channels

GPCRs are primarily responsible for our sense of smell, taste, and vision.  The binding of a sensory stimulus activates GPCR to stimulate effector proteins, many of which are ion channels in the sensory organs. GPCRs modulate the opening and closing of the target ion channels either directly by binding them, or by releasing second messengers that activate these channels. As ions move across the membrane, the membrane potential is altered, which induces an appropriate response.
Sensory organs,...
Tactile and Chemical Senses01:27

Tactile and Chemical Senses

Tactile senses encompass touch, temperature, and pain, each mediated by specific receptors. Touch receptors detect mechanical energy or pressure against the skin. Sensory fibers from these receptors enter the spinal cord and relay information to the brain stem. Here, most fibers cross over to the opposite side of the brain. The touch information then moves to the thalamus, which projects a map of the body's surface onto the somatosensory areas of the parietal lobes in the cerebral cortex. This...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Discovery of a small molecule that blocks wall teichoic acid biosynthesis in Staphylococcus aureus.

ACS chemical biology·2009
Same author

Biallelic APC inactivation was responsible for functional adrenocortical adenoma in familial adenomatous polyposis with novel germline mutation of the APC gene: report of a case.

Japanese journal of clinical oncology·2009
Same author

Mechanisms of the action of povidone-iodine against human and avian influenza A viruses: its effects on hemagglutination and sialidase activities.

Virology journal·2009
Same author

Laparoscopic hepatectomy for liver tumors: proposals for standardization.

Journal of hepato-biliary-pancreatic surgery·2009
Same author

Expression of thymidine phosphorylase and dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase in human breast carcinoma cells and tissues.

Anticancer research·2009
Same author

Ultrasound has the potential to detect degeneration of articular cartilage clinically, even if the information is obtained from an indirect measurement of intrinsic physical characteristics.

Arthritis research & therapy·2009

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 6, 2026

Whole-Mount Staining, Visualization, and Analysis of Fungiform, Circumvallate, and Palate Taste Buds
07:40

Whole-Mount Staining, Visualization, and Analysis of Fungiform, Circumvallate, and Palate Taste Buds

Published on: February 11, 2021

Cellular mechanisms in taste buds.

Takashi Suzuki1

  • 1Department of Physiology, Tokyo Dental College, Chiba, Japan. suzuki@gc4.so-net.ne.jp

The Bulletin of Tokyo Dental College
|March 25, 2008
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Taste buds use specific cells for taste sensation and signal transmission. While serotonin and ATP are involved, the exact function of various transmitters in taste buds remains unclear.

More Related Videos

Taste Exam: A Brief and Validated Test
07:10

Taste Exam: A Brief and Validated Test

Published on: August 17, 2018

New Methods to Study Gustatory Coding
10:59

New Methods to Study Gustatory Coding

Published on: June 29, 2017

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 6, 2026

Whole-Mount Staining, Visualization, and Analysis of Fungiform, Circumvallate, and Palate Taste Buds
07:40

Whole-Mount Staining, Visualization, and Analysis of Fungiform, Circumvallate, and Palate Taste Buds

Published on: February 11, 2021

Taste Exam: A Brief and Validated Test
07:10

Taste Exam: A Brief and Validated Test

Published on: August 17, 2018

New Methods to Study Gustatory Coding
10:59

New Methods to Study Gustatory Coding

Published on: June 29, 2017

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cell Biology
  • Sensory Biology

Background:

  • Taste buds, located in the oral region, are responsible for taste sensation.
  • Human tongues have approximately 5,000 taste buds, distributed among fungiform, foliate, and circumvallate papillae.
  • Taste buds contain four cell types: Type I (dark), Type II (light), Type III (intermediate), and Type IV (basal).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the roles of different cell types and molecular mechanisms in taste signal transmission.
  • To explore the involvement of neurotransmitters like serotonin (5-HT) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in taste signaling.
  • To clarify the presence and function of various transmitters and receptors within taste buds.

Main Methods:

  • Application of molecular functional techniques using single cells.
  • Analysis of cell-to-cell communication within taste buds.
  • Examination of neurotransmitter release and receptor activation.

Main Results:

  • Type II cells are involved in sensing taste stimuli, while Type III cells transmit signals to nerve fibers.
  • Serotonin (5-HT) and ATP have been identified as signaling molecules in taste buds.
  • Evidence for taste-evoked release of other transmitters from Type III cells is lacking, challenging the presence of diverse transmitters.

Conclusions:

  • While serotonin and ATP play roles, the functional significance of other potential transmitters and receptors in taste buds is not definitively established.
  • The precise mechanisms of cell-to-cell communication and neurotransmission in taste buds require further investigation.
  • Understanding the elusive function of transmitters in taste buds remains a key challenge.