Mechanism of Transduction of Bitter Taste by Rat Taste Cells
{'Code': '08090200', 'Directorate': {'Abbreviation': 'BIO', 'LongName': 'Direct For Biological Sciences'}, 'Division': {'Abbreviation': 'IOS', 'LongName': 'Division Of Integrative Organismal Systems'}}
{'SignBlockName': 'Christopher Platt', 'PO_EMAI': None, 'PO_PHON': None}
Sensory transduction is a process that converts some form of                    stimulus energy into a neural response, to send information to                  the brain.  Little is known about the molecular mechanisms for                  transduction in chemosensory systems.  Taste detection of some                  substances may involve the triggering of flow of particular                     charged ions across the membrane of the taste-bud cells.  Bitter                taste is particularly important in feeding, because several toxic               compounds from plants are bitter.                                                                                                                               Using a novel method for isolating mammalian taste cells,                       this project will focus on the role of calcium ions in bitter                   taste transduction.  Changes in intracellular calcium are known                 to result in neurotransmitter release, to carry the signal to                   neurons to the brain.  Preliminary data show that bitter                        compounds stimulate release of calcium from internal stores in a                subpopulation of taste cells.  The mechanism is proposed to                     involve a receptor molecule (protein) in the cell membrane.  When               a stimulus molecule binds to these receptors, intracellular                     second messenger molecules are activated that then regulate                     calcium levels.  Such a mechanism is distinct from the usual                    dependence of intracellular calcium levels on the electrical                    depolarization of the cell membrane.  Cell types will be                        identified by antibody reactivity, electrophysiological                         recordings of cells will be made while bitter stimuli are                       delivered, and selected pharmacological agents will be used to                  block specific steps, to clarify the transduction process.  This                novel approach overcomes a major difficulty of taste research,                  that the taste cells are inaccessibly embedded in the tongue.                   The results will be very important for understanding how a                      specific taste occurs, understanding chemosensory systems in                    general, and probably will have applications in the food                        industry.
{'FirstName': 'Myles', 'LastName': 'Akabas', 'PI_MID_INIT': None, 'PI_SUFX_NAME': None, 'PI_FULL_NAME': 'Myles Akabas', 'EmailAddress': None, 'NSF_ID': '000125223', 'StartDate': '02/15/1989', 'EndDate': None, 'RoleCode': 'Principal Investigator'}
{'Name': 'Columbia University', 'CityName': 'NEW YORK', 'ZipCode': '100277922', 'PhoneNumber': '2128546851', 'StreetAddress': '615 W 131ST ST', 'StreetAddress2': 'MC 8741', 'CountryName': 'United States', 'StateName': 'New York', 'StateCode': 'NY', 'CONGRESSDISTRICT': '13', 'CONGRESS_DISTRICT_ORG': 'NY13', 'ORG_UEI_NUM': 'F4N1QNPB95M4', 'ORG_LGL_BUS_NAME': 'THE TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK', 'ORG_PRNT_UEI_NUM': None}
{'Name': 'Columbia University Col of Physicians and Surgeons', 'CityName': 'New York', 'StateCode': 'NY', 'ZipCode': '10032', 'StreetAddress': None, 'CountryCode': 'US', 'CountryName': 'United States', 'StateName': 'New York', 'CountryFlag': '1', 'CONGRESSDISTRICT': '13', 'CONGRESS_DISTRICT_PERF': 'NY13'}
{'Code': '1185', 'Text': 'SENSORY SYSTEMS'}
{'url': 'https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/download?DownloadFileName=1988&All=true', 'xml': '8808028.xml'}