We have demonstrated in humans that Na~+ evokes changes in the lingual surface potential (LSP) using a custom chamber. To assess whether a relationship exists between the Na~+-evoked changes in the LSP and the intensity of salt taste, we measured the LSP and the intensity of salt taste simultaneously in 7 subjects using test solutions (50, 100, 300, and 1000 mM NaCl) presented in random order. The evoked LSPs and intensity scores correlated with one another well (r~2 = 0.992, P < 0.01). We then screened 14 subjects for their ability to discriminate between 100 and 300 mM NaCl using the chamber. Three subjects were consistently capable of distinguishing the salt concentrations. In these 3 subjects, an inhibitor of the epithelial sodium channel, amiloride (10 μM), blocked the ability to distinguish salt concentrations and affected the LSP. These data suggest that the LSP may be a component of the signal transduction system involved in human salt taste. In adept salt tasters, an amiloride-sensitive mechanism appears to have a role in distinguishing salt concentrations.
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机译：我们已在人类中证明，Na〜+会使用自定义腔室引起舌表面电位（LSP）的变化。为了评估LSP中Na〜+引起的变化与盐味强度之间是否存在关系，我们使用测试溶液（50、100、300和1000）同时测量了7位受试者的LSP和盐味强度mM NaCl）随机排列。诱发的LSPs和强度得分彼此相关（r〜2 = 0.992，P <0.01）。然后，我们使用腔室筛选了14位受试者区分100至300 mM NaCl的能力。三名受试者始终能够区分盐浓度。在这3名受试者中，上皮钠通道抑制剂阿米洛利（10μM）阻断了区分盐浓度的能力并影响了LSP。这些数据表明，LSP可能是涉及人类盐味的信号转导系统的组成部分。在熟练的盐品尝师中，阿米洛利敏感机制似乎在区分盐浓度中起作用。
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