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Resource : Dental Care Articles
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The taste buds and the sense of taste: Short Overview
The gustatory papillae are found covering the dorsal surface of the tongue, giving it a rough appearance. They include: fungiform papillae, which have the shape of a mushroom and are located principally on the borders and tip of the tongue; circumvallate papillae, which are larger and mark the so-called lingual “V” region; foliate papillae, which have the appearance of a fold or sulcus, found on the posterior part of the lateral margins of the tongue; and finally, the filiform papillae, which are not associated with the sense of taste as they do not contain buds.
These are three principal components of the sense of taste: the receptor organs, which are the gustatory papillae; the gustatory pathways, via the glossopharyngeal, vagus and lingual nerves, running to the hippocampal gyrus; and the gustatory centers, which are found in this region.