Each type of papillae has its own unique features:
Fungiform papillae are the most common, with 200-400 spread across my surface. They’re mostly found at the tip and edges of me, making those areas extra sensitive to taste. Each papilla has 3 to 5 taste buds and can detect touch and temperature.
Circumvallate papillae: You’ll find only 7 to 12 of these big papillae at the base of me, near the throat. They’re round and visible to the naked eye, arranged in a V-shape. Each has thousands of taste buds and is surrounded by a trench filled with glands that help rinse taste-producing substances into the sensory cells.
Foliate papillae are visible to the naked eye and are located on my rear edges. There are about 20 of them, and each one has several hundred taste buds.
The true taste heroes: Taste Buds.
Each taste bud has 10 to 50 sensory cells connected to nerve fibers. These cells form a capsule resembling a flower bud or an orange. At the tip of the capsule, there’s a pore that works as a funnel to let taste substances in. Adults have 2,000 to 4,000 taste buds, which get renewed every week. Most are on me, but some are found in other parts of your mouth, throat, and nasal cavity.
How taste information is sent to your brain?
This is done by several cranial nerves that carry taste signals to your brainstem and to different brain parts responsible for sensory perception and survival. This is where taste signals are combined with smell signals, making the full experience of a flavour.
Each sensory cell in a taste bud can react to several of the five basic tastes but has its own sensitivity ranking. The full flavour experience is only produced after all the sensory cell profiles from my parts are combined. Some cells are specialized to react to just one taste, and their job is to transmit information on the intensity of the stimulus – like how salty or sour something tastes.
So, there you have it! That’s a brief glimpse into my flavorful life as a tongue. I hope you understand better how I work with my taste buds and papillae to help you enjoy all the delicious foods and drinks you encounter.
Just remember that I do more than just taste; I also help with chewing, swallowing, and speaking. So next time you enjoy a tasty treat or chat with your friends, take a moment to appreciate all the hard work I put in to make your life more flavourful and enjoyable.
So treat yourself to something tasty, and let’s continue this flavourful adventure together!