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Related Concept Videos

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,...
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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.
The Physiology of Taste01:24

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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...
Neural Regulation01:37

Neural Regulation

Digestion begins with a cephalic phase that prepares the digestive system to receive food. When our brain processes visual or olfactory information about food, it triggers impulses in the cranial nerves innervating the salivary glands and stomach to prepare for food.
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.
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Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway01:20

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Humans detect odors with the help of specialized cells located in the upper part of the nasal cavity, called olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs). ORNs possess hair-like structures called cilia, which are receptive to sensations from the inhaled air. When an odorant molecule binds to a specific receptor on the cell of the cilia, it leads to a series of events that ultimately cause the ORN to send electrical signals to the olfactory bulb in the brain through the olfactory nerves.
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New Methods to Study Gustatory Coding
10:59

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Published on: June 29, 2017

The Gustatory Neural Response Function.

R P Erickson1, G S Doetsch, D A Marshall

  • 1Department of Psychology, Duke University, Durham.

The Journal of General Physiology
|October 30, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

This study introduces methods to map neural responses in chemical senses. It develops a preliminary taste response function, advancing our understanding of sensory stimulus dimensions.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Sensory Systems Biology
  • Chemosensation Research

Background:

  • Afferent neurons across sensory systems typically respond to broad stimuli.
  • Known sensory systems exhibit describable neuron response functions, often with a single peak.
  • Chemical senses lack defined stimulus dimensions and characterized neural response functions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To establish methodologies for determining neural response functions in chemical senses.
  • To identify and define the stimulus dimensions within chemical sensory systems.
  • To develop a foundational response function for the sense of taste.

Main Methods:

  • Development of novel methods to analyze neural signaling in chemosensation.
  • Application of quantitative approaches to characterize stimulus-response relationships.
  • Exploration of stimulus dimensions relevant to taste perception.

Main Results:

  • Proposed methods for characterizing neural response functions in chemical senses.
  • A tentative response function for gustatory neurons has been formulated.
  • Initial progress made in identifying key stimulus dimensions for taste.

Conclusions:

  • The developed methods provide a framework for understanding chemosensory neuron behavior.
  • The tentative taste response function offers a starting point for further research.
  • This work lays the groundwork for fully describing stimulus dimensions in chemical senses.