Taste

Taste, one of the five special senses (see Sense Organs), in humans and other animals, by which four
gustatory qualities (sweetness, sourness, saltiness, and bitterness) of a substance are distinguished.
Taste is determined by receptors, called taste buds, the number and shape of which may vary greatly
between one person and another. In general, women have more taste buds than men. A greater
number of taste buds appears to endow a greater sensitivity to sweetness, sourness, saltiness, and
bitterness. In humans, the taste buds are located on the surface and sides of the tongue, the roof of
the mouth, and the entrance to the pharynx. The mucous membrane lining these areas is invested
with tiny projections of papillae, each of which in turn is invested with 200 to 300 taste buds. The
papillae located at the back of the tongue, and called circumvallate, are arranged to form a V with the
angle pointing backward; they transmit the sensation of bitterness. Those at the tip of the tongue
transmit sweetness, whereas saltiness and sourness are transmitted from the papillae on the sides of
the tongue. Each flask-shaped taste bud contains an opening at its base through which nerve fibers
enter. These fibers transmit impulses directly to the brain. In order for a substance to stimulate these
impulses, however, it must be in solution, moistened by the salivary glands. Sensations of taste have
been determined to be strongly interrelated with sensations of smell. See Nervous System.
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