We used an embryological approach to investigate development and microvasculature of lingual papillae, and expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the rat tongue. Temporal changes in the rat tongue at each developmental stage from embryonic day 13 (E13) to postnatal day 7 (P7) were observed by intravascular injection of India ink and immunohistochemistry using a VEGF antibody...

Receptive fields and responsiveness of single fibers of the glossopharyngeal (IXth) nerve were investigated using electrical, gustatory (NaCl, quinine HCl, acetic acid, water, sucrose, and CaCl2), thermal, and mechanical stimulation of the single fungiform papillae distributed on the dorsal tongue surface in frogs. 172 single fibers were isolated. 58% of these fibers (99/172) were responsive to...

Fat provides multimodal stimulation, particularly through mouthfeel and as a taste stimulant via free fatty acids. Individuals vary in perception of both sensations from fat. Papillae number on the tongue can influence oral tactile sensitivity. In addition, mouth behaviour (how foods are manipulated during eating before swallowing) varies between individuals, may perception. Limited research ha...

To disentangle taste from reward responses in the human gustatory cortex, we combined high density electro-encephalography with a gustometer delivering tastant puffs to the tip of the tongue. Stimuli were pure tastants (salt solutions at two concentrations), caloric emulsions (two milk preparations identical in composition except for fat content) and a mixture of high fat milk with the lowest s...

Taste and oral sensations vary in humans. Some of this variation has a genetic basis, and two commonly measured phenotypes are the bitterness of propylthiouracil (PROP) and the number of fungiform papillae on the anterior tongue. While the genetic control of fungiform papilla is unclear, PROP bitterness associates with allelic variation in the taste receptor gene, TAS2R38. The two common allele...

BACKGROUND Phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) and 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP), chemically related compounds, are probes for genetic variation in bitter taste, although PROP is safer with less sulfurous odor. Threshold for PROP distinguishes nontasters (increased threshold) from tasters (lower threshold); perceived intensity subdivides tasters into medium tasters (PROP is bitter) and supertasters (PROP i...

The microstructure of lingual papillae on the dorsal surface of the tongue of adult Egyptian fruit bats was examined by light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). This elongated tongue with a rounded apex is approximately 3 cm long -- including the 1.7cm length of the anterior free part of the tongue -- which facilitates considerable freedom of movement. The surface of the to...

Alcohol produces a range of oral sensations, some of which have been shown to vary with the perceived bitterness of 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP), one marker for genetic variation in taste. Some studies report that offspring of alcoholics are most likely to be PROP nontasters [Physiol. Behav. 51 (1992) 1261; Physiol. Behav. 64 (1998) 147], yet others report the offspring as more responsive to sod...

In mammals, taste buds develop in different regions of the oral cavity. Small epithelial protrusions form fungiform papillae on the ectoderm-derived dorsum of the tongue and contain one or few taste buds, while taste buds in the soft palate develop without distinct papilla structures. In contrast, the endoderm-derived circumvallate and foliate papillae located at the back of the tongue contain ...