This thesis describes a series of experiments designed to evaluate the hypothesis that Type I taste receptor cells play a critical role in the detection and transduction of sodium taste via of epithelial sodium channels (ENaCs). Experiment 1 validated the function of a simple and affordable behavioral apparatus (hardware and software) for testing taste preference and taste aversion in mice. Experiment 2 demonstrated a pharmacological method for rapid induction of salt appetite in mice. Experiment 3 showed that optogenetic stimulation of Type I taste receptor cells (TRCs) in transgenic mice could drive consumption of tap water under conditions of salt hunger. The fourth and final experiment assessed whether conditioned taste aversions to sodium would generalize to optogenetic stimulation of Type I taste receptor cells in transgenic mice, with inconclusive results.
","abstract_html":"<p>This thesis describes a series of experiments designed to evaluate the hypothesis that Type I taste receptor cells play a critical role in the detection and transduction of sodium taste via of epithelial sodium channels (ENaCs). Experiment 1 validated the function of a simple and affordable behavioral apparatus (hardware and software) for testing taste preference and taste aversion in mice. Experiment 2 demonstrated a pharmacological method for rapid induction of salt appetite in mice. Experiment 3 showed that optogenetic stimulation of Type I taste receptor cells (TRCs) in transgenic mice could drive consumption of tap water under conditions of salt hunger. The fourth and final experiment assessed whether conditioned taste aversions to sodium would generalize to optogenetic stimulation of Type I taste receptor cells in transgenic mice, with inconclusive results.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Raymond, Martin"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science (MS)","degree_level":"Open Access Thesis","degree_discipline":"Psychology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Joseph Breza, Ph.D.","Thomas Waltz, Ph.D., Ph.D.","Kenneth Rusiniak, Ph.D."],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2018,"date_issued":"2018-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2018-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:17:33Z","subjects":["Behavior","Ingestion","Taste","Neuroscience and Neurobiology","Psychiatry and Psychology"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://commons.emich.edu/theses/928","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Joseph Breza, Ph.D.","Thomas Waltz, Ph.D., Ph.D.","Kenneth Rusiniak, Ph.D."]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Raymond, Martin"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2019-01-10T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Psychology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Open Access Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (MS)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Behavior","Ingestion","Taste","Neuroscience and Neurobiology","Psychiatry and Psychology"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/928"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This thesis describes a series of experiments designed to evaluate the hypothesis that Type I taste receptor cells play a critical role in the detection and transduction of sodium taste via of epithelial sodium channels (ENaCs). Experiment 1 validated the function of a simple and affordable behavioral apparatus (hardware and software) for testing taste preference and taste aversion in mice. Experiment 2 demonstrated a pharmacological method for rapid induction of salt appetite in mice. Experiment 3 showed that optogenetic stimulation of Type I taste receptor cells (TRCs) in transgenic mice could drive consumption of tap water under conditions of salt hunger. The fourth and final experiment assessed whether conditioned taste aversions to sodium would generalize to optogenetic stimulation of Type I taste receptor cells in transgenic mice, with inconclusive results.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Optogenetic examination of salt taste in mice"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Joseph Breza, Ph.D.","Thomas Waltz, Ph.D., Ph.D.","Kenneth Rusiniak, Ph.D."],"dc:creator":["Raymond, Martin"],"dc:date.available":["2019-01-10T08:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["This thesis describes a series of experiments designed to evaluate the hypothesis that Type I taste receptor cells play a critical role in the detection and transduction of sodium taste via of epithelial sodium channels (ENaCs). Experiment 1 validated the function of a simple and affordable behavioral apparatus (hardware and software) for testing taste preference and taste aversion in mice. Experiment 2 demonstrated a pharmacological method for rapid induction of salt appetite in mice. Experiment 3 showed that optogenetic stimulation of Type I taste receptor cells (TRCs) in transgenic mice could drive consumption of tap water under conditions of salt hunger. The fourth and final experiment assessed whether conditioned taste aversions to sodium would generalize to optogenetic stimulation of Type I taste receptor cells in transgenic mice, with inconclusive results.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/928"],"dc:subject":["Behavior","Ingestion","Taste","Neuroscience and Neurobiology","Psychiatry and Psychology"],"dc:title":["Optogenetic examination of salt taste in mice"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Psychology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Open Access Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (MS)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:17:33Z"}