ABSTRACT. Although it has been reported that specific proteins are present to take charge in the gustation in the taste buds, there have been only a few reports on the distribution of glycoconjugates binding to glycoproteins on the cellular membranes of the taste cells. In the present study, therefore, binding patters of 24 biotinylated lectins were examined in the three types of lingual papillae in five species of mammals belonging to different orders: cow (artiodactyl), horse (perissodactyl), monkey (primate), dog (carnivore) and mouse (rodent). As the results, lectin binding patterns were different among circumvallate, foliate and fungiform papillae, among the cells of the taste buds, and among animal species. These findings suggest that the different binding patterns of the lectins in the taste papillae and taste bud cells may be involved in different sensitivities of taste among mammalian species. KEY WORDS: glycoconjugate, lectin, lingual papillae, mammalian orders, taste bud.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.