1Taste receptor cells use multiple signaling pathways to detect chemicals in 2 potential food items. These cells are functionally grouped into different types: Type I 3 cells act as support cells and have glial-like properties; Type II cells detect bitter, sweet, 4 and umami taste stimuli; and Type III cells detect sour and salty stimuli. We have 5 identified a new population of taste cells that are broadly tuned to multiple taste stimuli 6 including bitter, sweet, sour and umami. The goal of this study was to characterize 7 these broadly tuned (BR) taste cells. We used an IP3R3-KO mouse (does not release 8 calcium (Ca 2+ ) from Type II cells when stimulated with bitter, sweet or umami stimuli) to 9 characterize the BR cells without any potentially confounding input from Type II cells.