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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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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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Peripheral thermosensation is the perception of external temperature. A change in temperature (on the surface of the skin and other tissues) is detected by a family of temperature-sensitive ion channels called Transient Receptor Potential, or TRP, receptors. These receptors are located on free nerve endings. Those detecting cold temperatures are closer to the surface of the skin than the nerve endings detecting warmth. These thermoTRP channels, while temperature selective, have relatively...
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Gustation01:43

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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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Tactile and Chemical Senses01:27

Tactile and Chemical Senses

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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.
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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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T1R2-mediated sweet sensing in a lizard.

Qiaoyi Liang1, Meng-Ching Ko1, Nathaniel S R Ng2

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The Madagascar giant day gecko senses sugars using the T1R2-T1R3 sweet receptor, challenging the idea that this receptor is exclusive to mammals. This finding expands our understanding of sweet taste evolution in reptiles.

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Sensory neuroscience
  • Zoology

Background:

  • Sugars are vital nutrients from flowering plants, but their evolutionary role in early amniote diets is debated.
  • The mammalian sweet receptor (T1R2-T1R3) is known, but some birds use a different receptor (T1R1-T1R3) for sugar detection.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate whether the T1R2-T1R3 receptor is a universal sugar sensor or a mammalian-specific innovation.
  • To explore sugar detection mechanisms in non-avian reptiles.

Main Methods:

  • Conducted brief-access behavioral tests on the Madagascar giant day gecko (Phelsuma grandis).
  • Performed functional characterization of taste receptors in the gecko.

Main Results:

  • The Madagascar giant day gecko demonstrated the ability to sense sugars.
  • This sugar detection in geckos is mediated by the T1R2-T1R3 receptor.
  • Identified T1R2-based sweet taste perception in a non-avian reptile.

Conclusions:

  • The T1R2-T1R3 receptor is not exclusive to mammals and functions in sugar detection in reptiles.
  • This discovery has significant implications for understanding the evolution of sweet taste perception across amniotes.
  • Suggests that T1R2-based sweet taste may have evolved earlier in amniote history than previously thought.