New acid biosensor for taste transduction based on extracellular recording of PKD channels

This paper describes a polycystic kidney disease-like (PKD) channel-based biosensor for the research of taste transduction by extracellular recording using a micro electrode array (MEA). PKD channels, which were recently proposed as candidates for sour sensation, are heterologously expressed in human embryo kidney-293 cells and coupled with MEA chips to serve as sensitive elements. MEA chips are used as transducers to monitor the responses of PKD channels to sour stimulations by extracellular recording in a noninvasive way for a long term. The results indicate that this biosensor can successfully record the special off-responses of PKD channels to sour stimulations. In addition, this biosensor can be used as a new tool for the functional assays of PKD channels. It is suggested that this biosensor may provide a promising alternative technique for the research of taste transduction, especially for the mechanisms of taste transduction mediated by ion channels. Furthermore, this biosensor also holds the potentials to be developed into electronic tongues for the detection of sour substances.