Question

Salty foods activate the taste cells by _____.

a) Binding to sweet receptors
b) Binding to umami receptors
c) Inducing ion channel opening
d) Enhancing bitter receptor sensitivity

Answer 1

Salty foods activate taste cells by binding directly to the receptors and depolarizing the cell membrane.

Step-by-step explanation:

Salty foods activate the taste cells by binding directly to the receptors. When you eat something salty, the salt crystals dissociate into sodium ions (Na+) and chloride ions (Cl-), which dissolve into the saliva in your mouth. The high concentration of sodium ions outside the gustatory cells creates a concentration gradient that drives the diffusion of the ion into the cells. This entry of sodium ions into the cells leads to depolarization of the cell membrane and the generation of a receptor potential, activating the taste cells.