9 Correctly label the anatomical elements of a taste bud. Taste pore Taste hairs Sensory nerve fibers Supporting cell Tongue epithelium Basal cell Taste bud
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
To correctly label the anatomical elements of a taste bud in the provided image, match the following labels with their corresponding structures:
- Topmost label (opening at the surface): Taste pore
- Directly beneath the taste pore (fine filamentous structures): Taste hairs
- Cluster of oval cells forming the body: Taste bud
- Outer layer or lining structure: Tongue epithelium
- Lighter-stained supporting cells beside the sensory cells: Supporting cell
- Cells near the base of the taste bud (darker, oval cells): Basal cell
- Blue structures leading to the taste bud: Sensory nerve fibers
Explanation
Taste buds are specialized sensory structures embedded in the tongue’s epithelium and are responsible for detecting different taste stimuli. Each taste bud consists of several cell types organized to transmit chemical information from tastants into neural signals.
At the surface, the taste pore is a small opening where dissolved food particles enter the taste bud. Through this pore extend taste hairs (also called microvilli), which are thin projections of taste receptor cells. These microvilli increase surface area and are the primary site for interaction with tastants.
The taste bud itself is an oval-shaped cluster of 50–100 cells embedded in the tongue epithelium. It includes three major cell types:
- Gustatory (taste receptor) cells – detect chemicals and form synapses with sensory neurons.
- Supporting cells – provide structural and metabolic support to taste receptor cells.
- Basal cells – stem-like cells at the base of the taste bud that divide and differentiate to replace older cells.
Sensory nerve fibers connect to the base of gustatory cells and carry the electrical signals generated by tastant-receptor interaction to the brain, where they are interpreted as taste.
This highly organized structure allows for continuous renewal and effective chemical detection, making taste buds vital for flavor perception and feeding behavior. The regeneration of gustatory and supporting cells is critical since taste cells are exposed to mechanical and chemical stress, and typically have a lifespan of about 10 days.
