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The Physiology of Taste

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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...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 22, 2026

Taste Exam: A Brief and Validated Test

Taste Exam: A Brief and Validated Test

Published on: August 17, 2018

Umami taste transduction mechanisms.

Sue C Kinnamon¹

¹Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, 80523, USA. sue.kinnamon@ucdenver.edu

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

|July 3, 2009

Summary

l-Glutamate triggers the umami taste, enhanced by 5'-ribonucleotides. This review details the downstream signaling pathway, involving calcium release and TRPM5 channel activation, crucial for umami taste perception.

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Molecular Biology
Sensory Science

Background:

Umami taste, elicited by l-glutamate, is the fifth basic taste.
5'-ribonucleotides like guanosine-5'-monophosphate potentiate umami taste.
Multiple G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are implicated in umami taste detection.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the intracellular signaling events downstream of umami taste receptors.
To elucidate the molecular mechanisms of umami taste transduction.
To highlight the roles of key signaling molecules and channels in umami taste perception.

Main Methods:

Review of existing literature on umami taste signaling.
Analysis of molecular and physiological studies, including knockout experiments.

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Focus on intracellular events following ligand binding to umami receptors.

Main Results:

Ligand binding activates Gbetagamma, leading to phospholipase C beta2 activation.
Inositol trisphosphate triggers intracellular calcium release, activating TRPM5 channels.
TRPM5 activation depolarizes taste cells, causing ATP release and nerve fiber activation.
Both Galpha gustducin and Galpha transducin are essential for umami signaling.
Decreased intracellular cAMP levels are observed, suggesting a modulatory role.

Conclusions:

A detailed model of umami taste transduction downstream of GPCRs is presented.
Calcium signaling and TRPM5 channel activity are critical for umami taste.
The involvement of Galpha gustducin and Galpha transducin underscores the complexity of umami signaling.
cAMP may play a modulatory role in the overall umami taste response.