Gustatory organ

The gustatory organ refers to the collection of specialized sensory structures responsible for the perception of taste in animals. It primarily includes the tastes buds, located within specific regions of the tongue, and extends functionally to the cranial nerves and central processing centers involved in taste sensation.

The main peripheral components of the gustatory organ are the taste buds, which are microscopic, oval sensory organs found within the epithelium of Lingual papillae. These papillae are structurally classified based on their morphology and function. The fungiform, foliate, and vallate papillae are the primary sites containing taste buds in most domestic mammals, whereas filiform papillae are generally mechanical in nature and lack gustatory receptors. The taste buds contain gustatory receptor cells, which are elongated neuroepithelial cells capable of detecting chemical stimuli dissolved in saliva. These receptor cells communicate with afferent sensory neurons via synaptic-like connections.

The sensory information from the taste buds is transmitted centrally via multiple cranial nerves. The Facial nerve innervates the anterior two-thirds of the tongue via the chorda tympani. The glossopharyngeal nerve carries taste from the posterior third of the tongue, while the vagus nerve may contribute taste fibers from the epiglottis and pharynx. These nerves project to the nucleus tractus solitarii in the medulla oblongata, where taste perception is integrated and relayed to higher cortical centers.