@article {Jakinovich49, author = {W Jakinovich, Jr}, title = {Stimulation of the gerbil{\textquoteright}s gustatory receptors by saccharin}, volume = {2}, number = {1}, pages = {49--56}, year = {1982}, doi = {10.1523/JNEUROSCI.02-01-00049.1982}, publisher = {Society for Neuroscience}, abstract = {The gustatory responses from the chorda tympani nerve of the Mongolian gerbil, Meriones unguiculatus, were tested with saccharin and some closely related compounds. Only two compounds, saccharin and 6- chlorosaccharin, stimulated the gerbil{\textquoteright}s taste receptors to any degree and in the same order in which they are sweet to man, saccharin greater than 5-chlorosaccharin. Those compounds which are tasteless to man did not stimulate and include N-methyl saccharin, phthalimide, and O- sulfobenzoic acid. These nonstimulating derivatives did not inhibit the saccharin electrophysiological response. The saccharin taste response pH optimum is from 5 to 8. At pH 7 and 8, saccharin is fully ionized and is binding to the receptor site by an anionic mechanism. Kinetic plots of the taste response at pH 7 indicate that saccharin is forming 1:1 complexes with it. In addition, mixtures of saccharin and sucrose stimulate in such a manner as to suggest that they are interacting at different receptor sites.}, issn = {0270-6474}, URL = {https://www.jneurosci.org/content/2/1/49}, eprint = {https://www.jneurosci.org/content/2/1/49.full.pdf}, journal = {Journal of Neuroscience} }