VPB 121: Veterinary Physiology - II (2+1)

GUSTATION

• It is the process of detecting dissolved chemicals emitted from the ingested food.  It is the sense of taste. 
• This is carried out by receptor known as taste buds.  There are almost 15,000 taste buds in the porcine oral cavity and throat, while 1 550 in the lizards, but only 24 in chickens.
• The taste buds are not able to discriminate between different molecules as olfactory system. 
• Taste buds are onion shaped structure that contains numerous taste receptor cells.  It has a pore that opens onto the surface where the tastants (chemicals from the food) enter and contact the receptors. 
• On its apical surface, the taste bud has number of microvilli, which also contain receptors and ions channels to mediate taste signal.