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.
Action Potentials01:41

Action Potentials

Overview
Generation of Action Potential in Skeletal Muscles01:24

Generation of Action Potential in Skeletal Muscles

Every cell in the body maintains a membrane potential due to an uneven distribution of positive and negative charges across its plasma membrane. The membrane potential is measured in millivolts and quantifies the difference in charge across the membrane.
Like neurons, muscle cells are also regarded as excitable due to their capacity to change in response to stimuli, primarily due to voltage-gated ion channels embedded in their plasma membranes, which get activated by alterations in the cell's...
Action Potential01:14

Action Potential

Neurons communicate by firing action potentials—the electrochemical signal that is propagated along the axon. The signal results in the release of neurotransmitters at axon terminals, thereby transmitting information to the nervous system. An action potential is a specific "all-or-none" change in membrane potential that results in a rapid spike in voltage.
Membrane potential in neurons
Neurons typically have a resting membrane potential of about -70 millivolts (mV). When they receive...
Action Potential01:14

Action Potential

Neurons communicate by firing action potentials—the electrochemical signal that is propagated along the axon. The signal results in the release of neurotransmitters at axon terminals, thereby transmitting information to the nervous system. An action potential is a specific "all-or-none" change in membrane potential that results in a rapid spike in voltage.
Membrane potential in neurons
Neurons typically have a resting membrane potential of about -70 millivolts (mV). When they receive...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Receptors and signaling for sour and salty: the ionic taste qualities.

Chemical senses·2025
Same author

The proton channel OTOP1 is a sensor for the taste of ammonium chloride.

Nature communications·2023
Same author

Inflammatory-mediated taste dysfunction - Is NO the key?

Brain, behavior, and immunity·2022
Same author

The stability of tastant detection by mouse lingual chemosensory tissue requires Regulator of G protein Signaling-21 (RGS21).

Chemical senses·2021
Same author

GAD65Cre Drives Reporter Expression in Multiple Taste Cell Types.

Chemical senses·2021
Same author

Sour taste: receptors, cells and circuits.

Current opinion in physiology·2021

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 23, 2026

In vivo Calcium Imaging of Mouse Geniculate Ganglion Neuron Responses to Taste Stimuli
07:27

In vivo Calcium Imaging of Mouse Geniculate Ganglion Neuron Responses to Taste Stimuli

Published on: February 11, 2021

Why do taste cells generate action potentials?

Aurelie Vandenbeuch1, Sue C Kinnamon

  • 1Department of Otolaryngology and Rocky Mountain Taste and Smell Center, 12700 E. 19th Ave, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.

Journal of Biology
|May 15, 2009
PubMed
Summary

Scientists identified the voltage-gated sodium channels responsible for action potentials in taste cells. This discovery is crucial for understanding the role of these electrical signals in taste perception.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Sensory Biology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Taste cells generate electrical signals called action potentials, but the specific ion channels involved and their functional significance remain largely unknown.
  • Understanding the molecular basis of taste cell excitability is essential for deciphering taste transduction pathways.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify the specific voltage-gated sodium (Na+) channels responsible for generating action potentials in taste receptor cells.
  • To lay the groundwork for future research into the functional roles of these channels in taste signaling.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized molecular biology techniques and electrophysiological recordings (e.g., patch-clamp) in taste cells.
  • Investigated the expression and function of various voltage-gated Na+ channel subtypes within taste receptor cells.

More Related Videos

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

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 23, 2026

In vivo Calcium Imaging of Mouse Geniculate Ganglion Neuron Responses to Taste Stimuli
07:27

In vivo Calcium Imaging of Mouse Geniculate Ganglion Neuron Responses to Taste Stimuli

Published on: February 11, 2021

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

Main Results:

  • Identified specific voltage-gated Na+ channel subtypes that are expressed in taste cells and contribute to action potential generation.
  • Demonstrated the functional role of these identified channels in the electrical activity of taste cells.

Conclusions:

  • The identified voltage-gated Na+ channels are critical components of the molecular machinery underlying taste cell excitability.
  • This research provides a foundational understanding necessary to explore how action potentials in taste cells contribute to the overall process of taste perception.