162 



PERIPHERAL NERVE TERMINATIONS: END ORGANS 



nucleus which causes no bulging of the protoplasm, and a coarsely retic- 

 ular and frequently vacuolated cytoplasm. The distal ends of the 

 cells taper to blunt points which collectively form the lateral wall of 

 a goblet-shaped cavity at the apex of the taste bud. The proximal end 



FIG. 176. TASTE BUD FROM THE HUMAN TONGUE. 



A, in longitudinal section; B, transection through the deeper third; C, transection 

 through the base. Bz, basal cells; Ez, extra-bulbar cells; Gz, gustatory cell; L, leuko- 

 cytes, in A one of these is seen in the pore; Pg, perigemmal space; Sg, subgemmal 

 spaces; Sp, connective tissue of the tunica propria; Sz, sustentacular cells; x, cells of 

 the adjacent epithelium. (After Graberg.) 



is broad, often blunt or serrated, and, like the gustatory cells, it is con- 

 nected with the basal cells by protoplasmic processes. 



The Basal Cells. The basal cells are flattened bodies with small 

 ovoid vesicular nuclei and a relatively small amount of cytoplasm which 

 is prolonged into numerous processes that appear to be continuous with 

 the sustentacular and gustatory cells. These cells have been considered 

 as having a similar function to the sustentacular cells. 



