A micrograph cross-section of some of the papillae on the surface of the tongue

Tastebuds are a combination of cells—basal cells, columnar (structural) cells, and between 10 and 50 taste receptor cells, which are renewed every 9-10 days. Some of these receptor cells contain proteins on their surfaces that bind to some of the chemicals from our food, while others have ion channels that are activated by different chemicals. Once the receptor has detected a particular chemical, this information is conveyed along a series of neural pathways to the brain, where taste is perceived.

The number of tastebuds people have can vary greatly. The average adult has between 2000 and 8000 tastebuds—some people have fewer, larger tastebuds while others have many more smaller tastebuds.

Despite what we may have learned in school, it’s not actually true there are certain areas of the tongue responsible for particular taste sensations. However, there are different types of taste receptors that are each activated by a different suite of chemicals to elicit the various taste sensations we perceive.