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why salt makes sweet sweet
Additional sensors in the tongue affect our sense of taste for sweet
Why does a pinch of salt, sweet pastries sweet? And why sweets taste less sweet when we are sick? A surprising explanation for this Questions have now discovered American researchers are in our tongue, alongside the already known sweetness receptor, additional sensors, which influence the sweet taste with each. As indicated in "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), some sensors are below, which are found in intestine and pancreas.
Our ability to taste sweet, is due to the specialized cells sense the sweet taste in our mouth. Especially at the front edge and on the tongue or they accumulate and respond to sugars such as glucose, fructose and artificial sweeteners numerous molecules. For some time it is known that the primary mechanism of a two-part receptor in the "sweet-sensory cells" is based. Strangely, however, these cells also seem to still be able to register sugar when they are missing a part of this receptor.
Additional freshwater sensors in the tongue
why, but have now researchers at the Monell Chemical Senses Center and the University of Utah found a surprising explanation: They discovered using modern analytical techniques to sweet-sensory cells of the tongue adjacent to the main receptor for several other sensors, which also regulate the detection of sweetness. Interestingly, these additional sensors are not known, but rather old friends: they are also found in our internal organs like the intestine and pancreas. Here they look at other things as important regulators of blood sugar and digestion.
"The taste system ceases to amaze me with how smart it is and how well it integrates the sense of taste with the digestive processes," says molecular biologist Robert F. Margolskee from the Monell Center. The newly discovered glucose sensors play different, so the researchers suspect, even different roles for the Detection of sweetness.
glucose transporter responds to salt
One of the now new in the sweet-sensitive taste cells discovered glucose sensors, for example, may explain why we feel that cookies or cake taste even sweeter, if the dough is mixed with an additional pinch of salt. Known as SGLT1, this sensor is in fact rather transporter, specifically glucose infiltrates in the taste cells - but only when sodium is present.
sweet taste less sweet when we are full
Another newly identified in the taste cell sensor, known as the KATP channel in the pancreas which normally monitors glucose levels and triggers insulin-Aussschüttung if they rise too high. The researchers suggest that this sensor could have the function of the tongue, affect our Süßempfinden too dependent on the supply situation. When we have eaten, for example, just a piece of cake, and our sugar levels are high enough, he makes the taste cells less sensitive, so that the next candy as we no longer feel quite so sweet.
"The fresh cells have proven to be quite complex, "Karen K. Yee, cell physiologist at the Monell Center and explains lead author of the study. "The presence of the KATP channel suggests that taste cells also play a role in regulating our sensitivity to the sweet taste in different nutritional states. This knowledge could help us to understand one day, how can we stop the excessive consumption of sweet food "
. (Monell Chemical Senses Center, 08.03.2011 - NPO)
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