382 THE SKL\ AND THE SKNSE-ORGANS. 



tremity, where it is slightly dilated and encloses an oval nucleus : 

 the protoplasm of the cells is very finely granular. These cells rest 

 on the connective-tissue of the papilla, and are in close juxtaposition, 

 so that several hundreds of them are found on one papilla.. 



The spaces between the upper parts of the cylindrical cells are 

 occupied by the goblet-cells and by the forked cells. 



(3) The third, form of cell found on the fungiform papillae are 

 named forked cells (Fig. 237 I) by Engelmann. The body of the 

 cells has an ellipsoidal form, is from O'Oo6-o-co8 mm. in its longer 

 diameter, and o - oo3~O'OO4 mm. in the shorter diameter. Processes 

 arise from both poles. The peripheral processes arise by a short 

 common stem, which then divides into two or rarely three branches ; 

 the whole process is from O'OO4 0*008 mm. in length, and is always 

 just sufficiently long to reach the general surface of the epithelium : 

 when the peripheral process is long the central is usually shorter, 

 and vice vend. 



The central processes arise by a stem from O'Ooi-O'OO2 mm. in 

 thickness, which usually divides dichotomously. The length of this 

 process may be as much as 0-025 mm - or almost nil. 



The forked cells are about twice as numerous as the goblet-cells, 

 . they occupy the spaces between the cylindrical cells and the goblet- 

 cells. The branched central processes form a network on the 

 connective-tissue of the papilla, which is, at this point, perforated 

 by a rich plexus of fine non-medullated nerve-fibrils. It is not de- 

 cided whether the processes of various cells inosculate. Engelmann 

 regards these forked cells as the taste-cells and as the sensory 

 nerve-endings. 



The bodies of the fungiform papillae contain blood-vessels and 

 nerves, the latter enter as medullated nerves, but lose the medulla 

 somewhat abruptly towards the upper end of the papilla, where they 

 form a sort of nerve-cushion (Nervenkissen, Engelmann).] 



Taste-organs are also found on the roof and other parts of the 

 mouth, and present many points of resemblance to the lateral sense- 

 organs. Like them they present a peripheral zone and a central 

 zone ; the cells of the latter, however, are not longer than the 

 peripheral cells, and possess no cilia (J. van der Hoeven, Merkcl). 



