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Related Concept Videos

The Physiology of Taste01:24

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...
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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.
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Taste Buds and Receptors01:20

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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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G-Protein Gated Ion Channels01:21

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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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Cholesterol: Significance and Regulation01:29

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Although not a source of energy, cholesterol plays a significant role as a foundational structure for bile salts, steroid hormones, and vitamin D, as well as being a crucial component of plasma membranes. Approximately 15% of blood cholesterol is derived from our diet, with the remainder synthesized from acetyl CoA by the liver and intestines. Cholesterol is eliminated from the body through its conversion into bile salts, which are eventually discarded in the feces.
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Conditioned taste aversion, also known as sauce béarnaise syndrome, is a phenomenon in which an individual develops an aversion to a certain food taste following a negative experience, typically illness. This form of aversion is a type of classical conditioning in which the taste of the food (conditioned stimulus, CS) is associated with the experience of illness (unconditioned stimulus, UCS).
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Taste Exam: A Brief and Validated Test
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Cholesterol modulates bitter taste receptor function.

Sai Prasad Pydi1, Md Jafurulla2, Lisa Wai3

  • 1Department of Oral Biology and Manitoba Chemosensory Biology Research Group, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0W4, Canada; Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba (CHRIM), Winnipeg, MB R3E 0W4, Canada.

Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta
|June 12, 2016
PubMed
Summary

Cholesterol influences bitter taste receptor T2R4 signaling. Key residues in the cholesterol recognition amino acid consensus (CRAC) motif are vital for this sensitivity, offering new insights into taste receptor function.

Keywords:
Bitter taste receptorsCRACCalcium signalingCholesterolGPCRT2R4

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Area of Science:

  • Molecular biology
  • Sensory neuroscience
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Bitter taste perception protects against toxins.
  • Bitter taste receptors (T2Rs), a type of G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), mediate this.
  • Membrane lipids, like cholesterol, are known to affect GPCR function.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of cholesterol in the signaling function of the bitter taste receptor T2R4.
  • To identify specific molecular determinants of cholesterol sensitivity in T2Rs.

Main Methods:

  • Site-directed mutagenesis of T2R4 at conserved CRAC motif residues (Tyr114 and Lys117).
  • Functional characterization using calcium mobilization assays.
  • Cholesterol depletion and replenishment experiments.

Main Results:

  • T2R4 exhibits cholesterol-sensitive signaling.
  • The CRAC motif is conserved in most human T2Rs (22/25).
  • Lysine at position 117 within the CRAC motif is critical for T2R4's cholesterol sensitivity.

Conclusions:

  • Cholesterol sensitivity is an intrinsic property of bitter taste receptors.
  • Specific amino acid residues, particularly Lys117, mediate this cholesterol sensitivity.
  • This study provides the first molecular insights into cholesterol's role in taste receptor function.