Genetics of Taste
Taste sensations are perceived by taste buds consisting approximately of 50-100 spindle-shaped cells that transform taste stimuli into electrochemical signals. Cells of taste buds are represented by a heterogeneous population; most of them are responsible for one taste signal by specific taste receptors genes. Receptors or ion channels in taste cells selectively bind molecules dissolved in the saliva and turned into the active state. Then, presynaptic cells integrate the signals generated by the receptors and release neurotransmitters - molecules stimulating the taste nerve. The nerve fibers transmit electrical pulses carrying information of the quality and intensity of the taste signal to the brain.