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Taste Buds and Receptors

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,...

Gustation

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.

The Physiology of Taste

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...

Tactile and Chemical Senses

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...

The Tongue and Taste Buds

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.

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Sensory receptors play an integral part in comprehending our external and internal environments. They receive diverse stimuli, converting them into the nervous system's electrochemical signals. This conversion occurs as the stimulus alters the sensory neuron's cell membrane potential, instigating the generation of an action potential. This action potential is subsequently transmitted to the central nervous system (CNS), which integrates with other sensory data or higher cognitive functions.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 26, 2026

Psychophysical Tracking Method to Measure Taste Preferences in Children and Adults

Psychophysical Tracking Method to Measure Taste Preferences in Children and Adults

Published on: July 16, 2016

Taste perception and food choices.

Rossella Negri¹, Mariarosaria Di Feola, Simone Di Domenico

¹Department of Pediatrics, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy. rosnegri@unina.it

Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition

|December 27, 2011

Summary

Genetic variations in bitter taste perception influence children's vegetable intake. Supertaster children avoid bitter foods more than adults, impacting their dietary choices and potentially body mass index.

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Last Updated: May 26, 2026

Psychophysical Tracking Method to Measure Taste Preferences in Children and Adults

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Published on: July 16, 2016

Psychophysical Tracking Method to Assess Taste Detection Thresholds in Children, Adolescents, and Adults: The Taste Detection Threshold (TDT) Test

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Published on: April 21, 2021

Taste Exam: A Brief and Validated Test

Taste Exam: A Brief and Validated Test

Published on: August 17, 2018

Area of Science:

Genetics
Nutrition Science
Pediatrics

Background:

Taste perception, particularly for bitterness, influences food preferences and dietary habits.
Genetic variations in the TAS2R38 bitter receptor gene are linked to differential taste sensitivity.
Understanding these links is crucial for addressing dietary restrictions and feeding disorders in children.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the association between genetic variations in the TAS2R38 bitter receptor and food choices in Mediterranean children.
To establish baseline taste sensitivity in healthy adults and children.
To explore taste sensitivity in obese children and those with functional gastrointestinal diseases.

Main Methods:

Recruited 98 children, 87 parents, and 120 adults from southern Italy.
Assessed bitterness sensitivity using a suprathreshold method with 6-propyl-2-thiouracil (6-PTP).
Genotyped TAS2R38 polymorphisms (A49P, A262V, V296I) and assessed food intake via a food frequency questionnaire.

Main Results:

Children exhibited higher supertaster frequencies than adults, with differing genetic profiles (heterozygous in children vs. homozygous in adults).
Taster children were more likely to avoid bitter vegetables than taster adults.
Taster status correlated with body mass index in boys; no obese boys were supertasters.

Conclusions:

Increased sensitivity to 6-PTP predicts reduced vegetable preference in children, highlighting genetic influence on food choices.
Genetic predisposition plays a significant role in shaping children's dietary habits and vegetable consumption.
The absence of supertasters among obese boys suggests a potential link between taste genetics and weight status.