Definition
- Gustation is perception of chemical stimuli (tastants) via chemoreceptors in taste buds; classified as a visceral sense.
- Taste budsabout 10,000; the number decreases with age.
Taste Buds: Structure and Location
- Taste buds are chemoreceptor organs on fungiform, circumvallate and foliate papillae; filiform papillae carry none.
- Three cell types compose a taste bud: basal, supporting and gustatory receptor cells (most numerous).
Structure of a taste bud