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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,...

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...

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 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.

Introduction to Special Senses

Introduction 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.

Renewal of Intestinal Stem Cells

Renewal of Intestinal Stem Cells

The intestinal epithelial lining rapidly renews every 4 to 5 days. The renewal is facilitated by intestinal stem cells (ISCs) located at the base of the crypt– a gland located at the bottom of each villus. ISCs divide asymmetrically to form new stem cells and progenitor daughter cells. The daughter cells are called transit-amplifying (TA) cells which move upwards along the crypt and either differentiate into absorptive cells– the enterocytes or secretory cells– including the goblet,...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 9, 2026

Effects of Taste Signaling Protein Abolishment on Gut Inflammation in an Inflammatory Bowel Disease Mouse Model

Effects of Taste Signaling Protein Abolishment on Gut Inflammation in an Inflammatory Bowel Disease Mouse Model

Published on: November 9, 2018

Taste sensing in the colon.

Izumi Kaji, Shin-ichiro Karaki, Atsukazu Kuwahara¹

¹Laboratory of Physiology, Graduate School of Integrated Pharmaceutical and Nutritional Sciences, And Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Shizuoka, 52-1 Yada, Suruga-ku. 422-8526 Japan. Kuwahara@u-shizuoka-ken.ac.jp.

Current Pharmaceutical Design

|July 27, 2013

Summary

Colonic epithelial cells possess sensory receptors that detect bacterial metabolites, influencing host defense and metabolism. These chemosensors are crucial for maintaining gut homeostasis by sensing the luminal environment.

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Last Updated: May 9, 2026

Effects of Taste Signaling Protein Abolishment on Gut Inflammation in an Inflammatory Bowel Disease Mouse Model

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Published on: November 9, 2018

Taste Exam: A Brief and Validated Test

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Published on: August 17, 2018

µTongue: A Microfluidics-Based Functional Imaging Platform for the Tongue In Vivo

µTongue: A Microfluidics-Based Functional Imaging Platform for the Tongue In Vivo

Published on: April 22, 2021

Area of Science:

Gastroenterology
Cell Biology
Microbiology

Background:

The colonic lumen interfaces with numerous compounds, including microbial metabolites.
Intestinal epithelia act as a barrier, with chemosensors modulating epithelial cell functions.
While nutrient sensing is studied in the small intestine, colonic chemosensor roles are less understood.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the expression and function of sensory receptors in the large intestine.
To explore the role of colonic chemosensors in detecting luminal contents, particularly bacterial metabolites.
To highlight the importance of these receptors in host defense and metabolic regulation.

Main Methods:

Review of existing literature on colonic sensory receptors and their functions.
Analysis of identified membrane receptor proteins in intestinal epithelial cells.
Examination of studies on short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and their receptors in the colon.

Main Results:

Colonic epithelial cells express various chemical receptors, including taste and olfactory receptors.
Short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) receptor genes are identified in the mammalian colon.
These chemosensors detect luminal metabolites, modulating host defense and systemic metabolism via incretin release.

Conclusions:

Colonic sensory receptors play a vital role in luminal chemosensing.
These receptors contribute to host defense mechanisms and systemic metabolism.
Luminal chemosensing by colonic receptors is essential for maintaining gut homeostasis.