Addition of functional amiloride-sensitive components to the receptor membrane: a possible mechanism for altered taste responses during development.

The developmental increase in response sensitivity of rat peripheral taste afferents to NaCl and LiCl occurs concomitantly with an increase in sensitivity to the sodium ion transport blocker amiloride. Lingual application of amiloride had no effect on chorda tympani nerve taste responses to monochloride salts in early postnatal rats. However, amiloride suppressed NaCl and LiCl responses in proportion to the increased sensitivity to these stimuli during development in postweaning and adult rats without suppressing responses to NH4Cl and KCl.