Liquan Huang

Associate Member

Education

PhD, Molecular Biology; Yale University

Research Summary

My research is directed at the molecular mechanisms that underlie taste sensation and food preference. The focus is on identifying molecules that are involved in the recognition and transmission of taste stimuli in the oral cavity and other parts of the digestive system. This work has implications for understanding the cellular and molecular basis of gustatory perception, which may lead to effective treatments of taste disorders.

Keywords

single cells, gene expression, signal transduction, taste perception, digestive system

Recent Publications

Hunter-Smith, S. & Huang, L. (2009). Human taste: peripheral anatomy, taste transduction and coding. AgroFood Industry Hi-Tech, 20, 24-27

Maehashi, K. & Huang, L. (2009). Bitter peptides and bitter taste receptors. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, 66, 1661-1671.

Rawson, N. E. & Huang, L. (2009). Impact of oronasal inflammation on taste and smell: an introduction. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1170, 596-603.

Wang, H.-Y., Zhou, M., Brand, J. G., & Huang, L. (2009). Inflammation and taste disorders: mechanisms in taste buds. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1170, 596-603.

Wang, H., Iguchi, N., Rong, Q., Zhou, M., Ogunkorode, M., Inoue, M., Pribitkin, E., Bachmanov, A., Margolskee, R. F., Pfeifer, K., Huang, L. (2009) Expression of the voltage-gated potassium channel KCNQ1 in mammalian taste bud cells and the effect of its null-mutation on taste preferences. J. Comp. Neurol. 512: 384-398.

Huang, L. (2008) Bitter taste for flavor and health. Perfumer & Flavorist 33: 52-55.

Naim, M., Shaul, M. E., Spielman, A. I., Huang, L., and Peri, I. (2008) Permeation of amphipathic sweeteners into taste-bud cells and their interactions with post-receptor signaling components: Possible implications for sweet-taste quality. In Weerasinghe, D. K., and DuBois, G. (eds) Sweetness and Sweeteners: Biology, Chemistry and Psychophysics. Oxford University Press, 241-255.

Maehashi, K., Matano, M., Wang, H., Vo, L.A., Yamamoto, Y. and Huang, L. (2008) Bitter peptides activate hTAS2Rs, the human bitter receptors. Biochem. Biophys. Res .Commun. 365: 851-855.

Wang, H., Zhou, M., Brand, J. and Huang, L., (2007) Inflammation activates the interferon signaling pathways in taste bud cells. J. Neurosci. 27: 10703-10713.

Li, X., Li, W., Wang, H., Bayley, D.L., Cao, J., Reed, D.R., Bachmanov, A.A., Huang, L., Legrand-Defretin, V., Beauchamp, G.K. and Brand, J.G. (2006) Cats lack a sweet taste receptor. J. Nutr. 136: 1932S-1934S.

Breslin, P.A. and Huang, L. (2006) Human taste: peripheral anatomy, taste transduction and coding. Adv. Otorhinolaryngol. 63:152-90.

Naim, M., Huang, L., Spielman, A.I., Shaul, M.E. and Aliluiko, A. (2006)Stimulation of taste cells by sweet taste compounds. In Spillane, W.J. (ed), Optimising sweet taste in foods. CRC press, Woodhead Publishing, Cambridge England, 3-29.

Huang, L., Cao, J., Wang, H., Vo, L.A. and Brand, J.G. (2005) Identification and functional characterization of a voltage-gated chloride channel and its novel splice variant in taste bud cells. J. Biol. Chem. 280:36150-36157.

Lab Staff

Naoko Iguchi, Ph.D., Postdoctoral fellow
Feng Li, Ph.D. Postdoctoral fellow
Ichiro Matsumoto, Ph.D., Postdoctoral fellow (co-mentored with Alexander Bachmanov)
Minliang Zhou, B.S., Technician
Sarah Hunter-Smith, B.S., Technician