Institute for Innovation, Ajinomoto Co., Inc., Japan.
J Pharmacol Sci. 2012;118(2):123-8. doi: 10.1254/jphs.11r08cp. Epub 2012 Jan 27.
Recent advances in molecular biology have led to the investigation of the molecular mechanism by which chemicals such as odors and tastants are perceived by specific chemosensory organs. For example, G protein-coupled receptors expressed within the nasal epithelium and taste receptors in the oral cavity have been identified as odorant and taste receptors, respectively. However, there is much evidence to indicate that these chemosensory receptors are not restricted to primary chemosensory cells; they are also expressed and have function in other cells such as those in the airways and gastrointestinal (GI) tract. This short review describes the possible mechanisms by which taste signal transduction occurs in the oral cavity and tastants/nutrients are sensed in the GI tract by taste-like cells, mainly enteroendocrine and brush cells. Furthermore, it discusses the future perspectives of chemosensory studies.
近年来，分子生物学的进展促使人们研究化学物质（如气味和味觉）被特定化学感觉器官感知的分子机制。例如，已经鉴定出在鼻腔上皮细胞中表达的 G 蛋白偶联受体和口腔中的味觉受体分别为气味受体和味觉受体。然而，有大量证据表明，这些化学感觉受体不仅限于主要的化学感觉细胞；它们也在其他细胞（如气道和胃肠道 (GI) 道中的细胞）中表达并具有功能。这篇简短的综述描述了味觉信号转导在口腔中发生的可能机制，以及味觉样细胞（主要是肠内分泌细胞和刷状细胞）在胃肠道中感知味觉和营养素的机制。此外，它还讨论了化学感觉研究的未来前景。
