Accession of sweet stimuli to receptors. I. Absolute dominance of one molecular species in binary mixtures.
Intensity/time studies of sweetness response in pure solutions of each of nine different sweet stimuli have been carried out. Both variables exhibit simple power functions of the form Intensity (S) = kscns and Persistence (P) = kpcnp. In binary mixtures of these nine stimuli a depression (or negative synergism) of both sweetness intensity and persistence is observed which is predictable from the low exponents of the power functions. Combination of both power functions allows the "effective concentration" of each stimulus in a binary mixture to be calculated from its observed intensity/time characteristics. All "effective concentrations" calculable in this way show absolute dominance of one stimulus in mixtures of two irrespective of the relative proportions of the two stimuli. It is suggested that the "effective concentrations" may reflect real concentrations of a single molecular species in the microenvironment of the receptor. Thus the accession of sweet molecules to ordered, localized concentrations at the receptor is ultimately dependent on chemical structure.
D000328:Adult; D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008433:Mathematics; D013649:Taste / Q000187:drug effects*; D013650:Taste Buds / Q000187:drug effects*; D013652:Taste Threshold / Q000187:drug effects*
D002241:Carbohydrates