Taste bud

Taste bud

Taste buds are small structures present on the upper surface of the tongue, soft palate, upper esophagus, cheeks, and epiglottis. These specialized sensory receptors enable us to perceive different tastes, including sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and umami.

Structure

Taste buds are onion-shaped and composed of 50–150 columnar taste receptor cells bundled together like a cluster of bananas. The taste receptor cells within a bud are arranged such that their tips form a small taste pore, and through this pore extend microvilli from the taste cells. The microvilli of the taste cells bear taste receptors.

Function

Taste buds are responsible for detecting the five elements of taste perception: sweet, sour, bitter, salty and umami. A popular myth assigns these different tastes to different regions of the tongue; in reality, these tastes can be detected by any area of the tongue.

Clinical significance

Damage to the taste buds can lead to loss of taste, a condition known as ageusia. This can be caused by smoking, certain medications, infections, and trauma to the tongue or mouth.

See also

• Gustatory system
• Olfaction
• Taste receptor

References

Taste bud Resources
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