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I'm reading about chemoreceptors on Wikipedia, and see that the typical ones are mentioned: taste, smell, CO₂. I would like to learn more about the other kinds of chemoreceptors that humans may possess. I'm particularly interested if these can detect chemical compounds, or lack of thereof in food.

Here's an example: Do omnivore mammals vary food preferences based on dietary needs?

There's "rapid recognition of Indispensible Amino Acid(IAA) depletion in the rat brain's IAA chemosensor, the anterior piriform cortex (APC)"

Reading the article above, it appears that at least rats and birds can develop aversion to food that does not contain indispensable amino acids. This is done through chemosensors in the brain. Do humans possess any similar chemosensors?

Thank you for your input!

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  • $\begingroup$ The answer to this question would fill books. Take Pheromones, for example, this is a very complicated story by itself! Could you be a bit more specific in which particular field you're interested in? $\endgroup$
    – Eekhoorn
    Nov 25, 2012 at 10:31
  • $\begingroup$ I'm interested in digestion - are there any chemicals or chemical imbalances that can be detected in food? $\endgroup$
    – Alex Stone
    Nov 25, 2012 at 17:03
  • $\begingroup$ Isn't our sense of smell basically from a large number of chemosensors in the nose? Am I missing something? $\endgroup$
    – Qubei
    Oct 9, 2014 at 22:08
  • $\begingroup$ @Qubei You are right, it is the pattern of activation of 100+ olfactory receptors that provokes smell. $\endgroup$
    – cagliari2005
    Mar 30, 2015 at 18:05
  • $\begingroup$ I vote to close this question. This would indeed require to write a book... $\endgroup$
    – cagliari2005
    Mar 30, 2015 at 18:05

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