In the upper respiratory epithelium, bitter and sweet taste receptors present in solitary
chemosensory cells influence antimicrobial innate immune defense responses. Whereas …

Molecular sensing by gastrointestinal (GI) cells plays a crucial role in the control of multiple
fundamental functions including digestion, regulation of caloric intake, pancreatic insulin …

We previously demonstrated the expression of bitter taste receptors of the type 2 family
(T2R) and the α-subunits of the G protein gustducin (Gαgust) in the rodent gastrointestinal …

Obesity is a complex, multifactorial disease that is a major public health issue worldwide.
Currently approved anti-obesity medications and lifestyle interventions lack the efficacy and …

Functional foods, with their synergistic health benefits that go beyond just being a source of
individual nutrients, present challenges to the traditional 'nutrition'view of foods. Consumers …

Bitter, sweet, and umami tastants are detected by G-protein-coupled receptors that signal
through a common second-messenger cascade involving gustducin, phospholipase C β2 …

Background and purpose: Thymol, a major component of thyme and oregano, has medical
uses in oral care products as an astringent and antibiotic. Its distinctive sharp odour and …

How do functional foods affect human health? To answer this question it is important to
understand what happens when food is digested and taken up by the gastrointestinal (GI) …

How are sights and sounds and smells converted into electrical signals in a form that can be
interpreted by the nervous system? Although this process, called sensory transduction …

There is currently a worldwide trend to reduce sugar consumption. This trend is mostly met
by the use of artificial non-nutritive sweeteners. However, these sweeteners have also been …