Kaplan Nursing Entrance Practice Exam

What type of sensory cells are concentrated on the tongue?

1. Olfactory receptors

2. Sensory neurons

3. Taste buds

4. Photoreceptors

The correct answer is: Taste buds

Taste buds are the sensory cells that are specialized for the sense of taste and are primarily concentrated on the tongue. These structures contain receptor cells that are sensitive to different taste modalities, such as sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami. When food molecules dissolve in saliva, they interact with the taste buds, signaling the brain to interpret the flavor of the substance. This specialized function of taste buds is crucial for feeding behavior and enjoyment of food, as well as for distinguishing between edible and potentially harmful substances. Understanding this helps highlight the essential role that taste buds play in human sensory perception, particularly in relation to taste as opposed to other sensory modalities represented by the other options.