Special Senses

Question 1

What is the difference between general senses and special senses?

Answer 1

General senses: Large group of different types of touch receptors

Special senses: taste, smell, sight, hearing, and balance

Question 2

Where are the special sensory receptors?

Answer 2

Localized - Confined to head region

• Receptors are not free endings of sensory neurons
• Special receptor cells: neuron-like epithelial cells or small peripheral neurons

Question 3

What is taste? What are their receptors classified as, and what do they do?

Answer 3

Taste - gustation

Receptors: classified as chemoreceptors, that respond to food dissolved in saliva fluids

Question 4

What is part of the superior surface of the tongue?

Answer 4

• Stratified squamous epithelium!
• There are Filiform papillae, Fungiform paillae, vallate papillae, sulcus terminalis: Marks border between mouth and pharynx
• Lingual Tonsil - covers posterior 1/3rd of tongue that lies in oropharynx

Question 5

Describe the papillae on superior surface of the tongue

Answer 5

Filiform paipillae: The most numerous papillae on the tongue are small and conical pointed in shape, they line up in parallel rows which enable tongue to grasp and manipulate food, DO NOT CONTAIN TASTE BUDS

Fungiform papillae: Mushroom shaped and spread over anterior 2/3rds of tongue surface

Vallate papillae: V-shaped row bordering the posterior 3rd of the tongue and directly anterior to the terminal sulcus (sulcus terminalis) groove

Fungiform and vallate papillae CONTAIN TASTE BUDS

Question 6

Taste buds

Answer 6

Present on fungiform and vallate papillae on the tongue surface
Contain taste receptors… Collection of 50-100 epithelial cells
2 MAJOR CELL TYPES:
-Gustatory epithelial cells
-Basal epithelial cells

Contain long microvilli (gustatory hairs) that project from a gustatory epithelial cells and extend thru taste pore to surface of epithelium
-Cells in taste buds replaced every 7-10 days!!! interesting