Acids trigger sour taste. OTOP1 is an ion channel present in sour taste receptor cells in taste buds. OTOP1 transports protons into sour taste receptor cells, setting off a signaling cascade based on pH changes. This cascade triggers action potentials in sour taste receptor cells, leading them to release neurotransmitter and activate gustatory nerves to signal the brain. The background is lemon slices with a photo of a young girl making a sour face next to a photo of a mouse. [Credit: Nancy R. Gough, BioSerendipity, LLC]
Watch a video about this research, including an animation of how the tongue detects sour tastes. [Access Video]
Read more: N. R. Gough, Genetically Engineered Mice Reveal Mechanism of Sour Taste. BioSerendipity (15 November 2019) https://www.bioserendipity.com/genetically-engineered-mice-reveal-mechanism-of-sour-taste/