World

Your testicles have taste receptors

Business Insider Contributor
Font Size:

Taste receptors — the proteins responsible for our ability to taste salty, sweet, and bitter foods — aren’t just present on our tongues.

Recently researchers are finding them present all over the body, from the mouth to the anus. Literally.

Taste receptors have been found in in the stomach, intestines, pancreas, lungs, and brain, the researchers said. But, we really don’t know what they are there for, study researcher Bedrich Mosinger, of the Monell Chemical Senses Center told Business Insider in an email.

“[The] function of taste receptors and signaling proteins outside of taste system is still unclear… [in some areas] they seem to be part of the chemical sensing of sugars or amino acids,” he said. “For the most part, though, full function of these extra-orally located taste receptors is unknown.”

Full Story: Your testicles have taste receptors

Business Insider