PTC PAPER Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

PTC PAPER - Lab Report Example arbitrated by specialized cells which communicate with brain cells through sensory neurons (Williams, Peter & Glyns 18).The perception involves one binding of the taste molecule to a receptor which is particular on taste cell surface then, a generation of nerve impulse by the taste cell which is then interpreted by the brain. This was shown when strips containing coffee without sugar, and with the addition of sugar were tested. Ability of tasting PTC is influenced by an inherited component. A single gene which codes for the receptor taste on the tongue influences the ability to feel or not to taste PTC. The gene is called PTC gene or the TAS2R38 and is mapped to q- arm that is chromosome 7 in man, and its discovery was in 2003 (Leguebe 970). In existence, there are two main alleles of PTC gene and rare ones are five in number. The alleles are tasting allele and none tasting allele which both code for taste bitter receptor protein. The shape of protein receptor determines the strength it binds to PTC. Bumps called papillae covers the entire tongue, and each papillae have numerous taste buds, which are filled by gustatory cells that are responsible for tasting. Each tip of the gustatory cell is significantly covered with assortments of receptors called bitter tastes and obtrudes through pore on the tongue surface. Stimulation of the receptors leads to the perception of signals. The signals are then carried to the brain by special nerves. The three samples of coffee of different concentrations; one without any addition of sugar, another one with addition of two spoons of sugar and the third one with three spoons of sugar added were dipped in PTC paper and test conducted to determine the level of taste as either very bitter or very sweet and in a scale of between 1 to 5, the results were noted in small tables. The experiment was repeated severally to determine the exactitude and also to show results among different individuals. From the experiment, we were able to