General Senses, Olfaction and Gustation

These flashcards cover key terms and definitions related to general senses, olfaction, and gustation for exam preparation.

Free nerve ending

A sensory receptor that detects pain and temperature.

Hair follicle receptor

A sensory receptor that senses hair movement.

Tactile (Merkel) disc

A sensory receptor formed by a Merkel cell and dendritic nerve ending that detects light touch.

Tactile (Meissner’s) corpuscle

A sensory receptor that responds to light touch and vibration.

Lamellar (Pacinian) corpuscle

A sensory receptor that detects deep pressure and vibration.

Ruffini corpuscle

A sensory receptor that senses sustained pressure and skin stretch.

Olfactory epithelium

The tissue that contains olfactory receptor cells involved in the sense of smell.

Olfactory receptor cells

Bipolar neurons in the olfactory epithelium that detect odors.

Supporting (sustentacular) cells

Cells that provide structural support in the olfactory epithelium.

Basal (stem) cells

Progenitor cells in the olfactory epithelium that differentiate into olfactory receptor cells.

Goblet (mucous) cells

Cells in the olfactory epithelium that secrete mucus to trap odors.

Lamina propria

The connective tissue layer beneath the olfactory epithelium containing olfactory glands.

Olfactory bulb

The brain structure that processes olfactory information.

Olfactory tract

The pathway along which olfactory information is transmitted to the brain.

Taste buds

Sensory structures on the tongue responsible for taste perception.

Circumvallate papillae

Large, round papillae at the back of the tongue involved in taste.

Fungiform papillae

Mushroom-shaped structures on the tongue that contain taste buds.

Foliate papillae

Taste papillae located on the sides of the tongue, mainly for taste sensation.

Filiform papillae

Thread-like structures on the tongue that provide texture sensation but do not contain taste buds.

Gustatory receptor cells

Cells in taste buds that detect tastants.

Cranial nerve VII (Facial Nerve)

The nerve responsible for taste sensation in the anterior two-thirds of the tongue.

Cranial nerve IX (Glossopharyngeal)

The nerve responsible for taste sensation in the posterior one-third of the tongue.

Cranial nerve X (Vagus)

The nerve that innervates water receptors in the pharynx.

Trigeminal nerve

The nerve that carries sensations of texture and temperature, but not taste.