Development of the chemosensory apparatus of human tongue in postnatal ontogeny

The development of the chemosensory apparatus of the tongue and taste perception in infants is studied by morphological (scanning electron microscopy) and physiological (vegetative and motor responses) methods. The chemosensory elements on the radix and body of the tongue develop, more rapidly than those on the tip of the tongue. Heterochrony in the development of the sensitivity of the tongue tip to various gustatory stimuli (sweet, bitter, salty, and sour is demonstrated. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 122, No. 12, pp. 673–677, December, 1996