Taste bud

High school (ages 12+)
Human Body

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/taste-bud

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the distribution sites?Found on papillae of the tongue, palate, pharynx, epiglottis, and upper esophagus
2. What is the transduction pathways?Ion channels for salty/sour; G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) for sweet/bitter/umami
3. Where are taste buds found?Taste buds are on the tongue inside papillae, and they are also located on the palate, throat, and even the upper part of the esophagus.
4. How do taste buds know if food is sweet, salty, sour, bitter, or umami?Different cells in a taste bud use ion channels or special receptors to detect each of the five basic tastes. When a taste is sensed, the cells release chemicals that travel to the brain.

Gustatory Calyculi: The scientific term for taste buds, complex sensory organs for taste detection.
Tastants: Chemical molecules dissolved in saliva that interact with taste receptors.
G Protein-Coupled Receptors (GPCRs): Cell surface receptors involved in detecting sweet, bitter, and umami tastes.