Specialized sensory cells located within the taste buds of the tongue, soft palate, pharynx, and epiglottis. These cells are responsible for detecting and transducing chemical stimuli from food and beverages into neural signals, enabling the sense of taste (gustation).
Gustatory receptor cells are housed in taste buds, which are found on the papillae of the tongue, such as fungiform, circumvallate, and foliate papillae. Each taste bud contains 50–150 gustatory receptor cells, along with supporting and basal cells. The receptor cells have microvilli (taste hairs) that extend into the taste pore, where they interact with tastants (chemicals in food).
There are five basic taste modalities recognized by gustatory receptor cells: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami. Each modality is mediated by specific receptors:
- Sweet, umami, and bitter: Detected by G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs).
- Salty and sour: Detected by ion channels sensitive to sodium and hydrogen ions, respectively.
There are five basic taste modalities recognized by gustatory receptor cells: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami. Each modality is mediated by specific receptors:
Gustatory receptor cells are innervated by cranial nerves VII (facial), IX (glossopharyngeal), and X (vagus), which transmit taste signals to the brainstem and ultimately to the gustatory cortex for processing. These cells undergo regular turnover, being replaced every 10–14 days by differentiation from basal cells. Their role is critical not only for detecting flavors but also for initiating reflexes like salivation and preparing the digestive system for incoming food.
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