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Ch. 8 Special Senses
Marieb - Essentials of Human Anatomy & Physiology 13th Edition
Marieb13th EditionEssentials of Human Anatomy & PhysiologyISBN: 9780135624340Not the one you use?Change textbook
All textbooksMarieb 13th EditionCh. 8 Special SensesProblem 2
Chapter 8, Problem 2

Alkaloids excite gustatory hairs mostly at the:
a. Tip of the tongue
b. Back of the tongue
c. Vallate papillae
d. Fungiform papillae

Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the anatomy of the tongue and its taste regions: The tongue has specific areas that are sensitive to different types of taste stimuli. The tip of the tongue is generally sensitive to sweet tastes, while the back of the tongue is more sensitive to bitter tastes, which are often associated with alkaloids.
Learn about vallate papillae: Vallate papillae are large, dome-shaped structures located at the back of the tongue. They contain a high density of taste buds and are particularly sensitive to bitter compounds, including alkaloids.
Understand fungiform papillae: Fungiform papillae are mushroom-shaped structures located mostly at the tip and sides of the tongue. They contain taste buds but are less specialized for detecting bitter tastes compared to vallate papillae.
Relate alkaloids to bitter taste: Alkaloids are chemical compounds that often have a bitter taste. Bitter taste receptors are concentrated in the back of the tongue, particularly in the vallate papillae.
Analyze the options: Based on the anatomical and physiological understanding, determine which areas of the tongue (tip, back, vallate papillae, fungiform papillae) are most likely to be excited by alkaloids, focusing on their association with bitter taste.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Gustatory Hairs

Gustatory hairs are specialized sensory structures located on taste buds that detect taste stimuli. These hairs extend from taste receptor cells and interact with tastants, such as alkaloids, to initiate the sensation of taste. Understanding their location and function is crucial for answering questions about taste perception.
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Taste Buds and Papillae

Taste buds are clusters of taste receptor cells found within structures called papillae on the tongue. There are different types of papillae, including fungiform and vallate, each playing a role in taste perception. Recognizing the specific locations of these papillae helps in understanding where alkaloids primarily stimulate gustatory responses.
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Special Senses

Alkaloids and Taste

Alkaloids are a class of naturally occurring compounds that often have a bitter taste and can stimulate specific taste receptors. They are commonly found in plants and can affect the gustatory system by exciting taste receptors, particularly in certain areas of the tongue. Knowledge of how alkaloids interact with taste receptors is essential for answering the question about their effects on gustatory hairs.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question

Gustatory cells are:

a. Bipolar neurons

b. Multipolar neurons

c. Unipolar neurons

d. Epithelial cells

Textbook Question

Which of the following are paired incorrectly?

a. Cochlear duct—cupula

b. Vestibule—macula

c. Ampulla—otoliths

d. Semicircular duct—ampulla

Textbook Question

Movement of which structure triggers the bending of hairs of the hair cells in the spiral organ of Corti?

Textbook Question

Cranial nerves that are part of the gustatory pathway include

a. Trigeminal

b. Facial

c. Hypoglossal

d. Glossopharyngeal