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Updated: Aug 19, 2025

Taste Exam: A Brief and Validated Test
Published on: August 17, 2018
Molecular logic of salt taste reception in special reference to transmembrane channel-like 4 (TMC4)
Yoichi Kasahara1, Masataka Narukawa1,2, Ayako Takeuchi3
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.
Abstract:
The taste is biologically of intrinsic importance. It almost momentarily perceives environmental stimuli for better survival. In the early 2000s, research into taste reception was greatly developed with discovery of the receptors. However, the mechanism of salt taste reception is not fully elucidated yet and many questions still remain. At present, next-generation sequencing and genome-editing technologies are available which would become pivotal tools to elucidate the remaining issues. Here we review current mechanisms of salt taste reception in particular and characterize the properties of transmembrane channel-like 4 as a novel salt taste-related molecule that we found using these sophisticated tools.
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