Umami as a Signal of Taste

On the surface of the tongue, there can be found nodules and amongst these are some that serve to recognise tastes, which are called taste buds. On these taste buds there are cells called taste cells which have taste receptors on their surface, and it is through these that the various tastes such as sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami are recognised. For example, when the glutamate receptors on the taste buds come into contact with glutamate, this information is relayed to the brain via the vagus nerve, and the umami taste is recognised by the brain.