Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 18, 2026
07:10
Taste Exam: A Brief and Validated Test
Published on: August 17, 2018
Oral and extra-oral taste perception.
Kurumi Yamamoto1, Yoshiro Ishimaru
1Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan.
Seminars in Cell & Developmental Biology
|September 12, 2012
Summary
Taste receptors and signaling molecules, known for sweet, bitter, and umami tastes, have crucial physiological roles beyond the mouth. This review explores their functions in various extra-oral tissues.
Area of Science:
- Physiology
- Molecular Biology
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- The molecular mechanisms of sweet, bitter, and umami taste perception are well-understood, involving specific taste receptors and signal transduction pathways.
- Emerging research indicates that taste-related molecules are expressed and functional in numerous tissues beyond the oral cavity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the current understanding of the physiological roles of taste-related molecules.
- To highlight their functions in both oral and extra-oral tissues.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of recent studies on taste receptor and signaling molecule functions.
- Synthesis of findings from research across various physiological systems.
Main Results:
- Taste molecules are involved in diverse physiological processes in tissues such as the respiratory tract, stomach, intestines, pancreas, liver, kidney, testes, and brain.
- These molecules contribute to functions beyond taste perception, including nutrient sensing and metabolic regulation.
Conclusions:
- Taste-related molecules possess significant physiological roles in multiple extra-oral tissues.
- Further research into these roles can uncover novel therapeutic targets and insights into systemic physiology.
Related Concept Videos
01:20Taste 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,...
01:43Gustation
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.
01:24The 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...
00:49The 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.
01:26Introduction to Special Senses
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.
01:27Tactile 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...