capable of sensory epithelial cell chemoreceptor cell taste receptor cell taste bud cell FMA:67910 Taste receptor cells, also known as gustatory receptor cells, are specialized epithelial cells that are responsible for detecting taste stimuli. They also play a role in regulating feeding behavior and nutrient intake by signaling the presence of nutrients or toxins in food. These cells are located in taste buds, which are small structures found on the tongue, palate, and throat. Each taste bud is composed of 50-100 taste receptor cells, as well as supporting cells and basal cells. Taste receptor cells are involved in the transduction of taste stimuli into neural signals that can be interpreted by the brain. They detect five primary tastes: sweet, sour, salty, umami (savory), and bitter. Each taste receptor cell is specialized to detect one or more of these tastes, depending on the expression of specific taste receptors on their membrane. For example, sweet taste receptors bind to sugars and artificial sweeteners, while bitter taste receptors recognize many toxins and alkaloids. Mechanistically, when a taste receptor cell is stimulated by a tastant, it depolarizes and releases neurotransmitters that activate sensory nerve fibers, which then transmit the information to the brain. (This extended description was generated by ChatGPT and reviewed by the CellGuide team, who added references, and by the CL editors, who approved it for inclusion in CL. It may contain information that applies only to some subtypes and species, and so should not be considered definitional.) A specialized cell involved in gustatory sensory perception. endo-epithelial cell detection of chemical stimulus involved in sensory perception of taste