Summary
To elucidate the relative independence of the receptor sites for amino acids and betaine in the gustatory system of fish, the neural responses from the ramus palatinus facialis innervating the anterior palate of the puffer, Fugu pardalis, were recorded.
There were observed independent amino acidsensitive and betaine-sensitive fibers.
Cross-adaptation to pairs of stimulant was studied. The pair stimulants were applied reciprocally, i.e. after adapting with one stimulus the second stimulus was applied and then reversed. There were observed 3 types of cross-effects for the pairs of stimulants tested: (1) a reciprocal profound cross-adaptation; (2) no distinct cross-adaptation; and (3) a reciprocal enhancement of the response between betaine and alanine or glycine. Such an enhancement between betaine and alanine occurred in the amino acid-sensitive fibers, suggesting that betaine has an enhancing effect on the amino acid receptors.
The present results suggest at least 3 different groups of receptor sites for the stimulants tested: (1) alanine sites for alanine, glycine and sarcosine; (2) proline sites for proline and dimethylglycine; and (3) betaine sites for betaine and dimethylglycine.
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Kiyohara, S., Hidaka, I. Receptor sites for alanine, proline, and betaine in the palatal taste system of the puffer, Fugu pardalis . J Comp Physiol A 169, 523–530 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00193543
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00193543