The receptors for taste located on the tongue are known as what?

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Taste receptors on the tongue are primarily found within structures known as taste buds. These specialized sensory organs contain taste receptor cells, which can detect different taste modalities such as sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami. Each taste bud houses a collection of these cells, and when they interact with dissolved substances in food, they send signals to the brain that are interpreted as taste.

Taste buds are located on various parts of the tongue, mainly within the papillae, which are the small, bump-like structures visible on the tongue's surface. This biological design allows for a broad range of taste detection across the tongue, making taste buds essential for our sensory experience of flavor.

The other terms, while related to taste or similar sensory functions, do not accurately refer to the specific structures responsible for taste perception. For instance, flavor cells and neuropods are not standard terms used in the context of taste perception, and palate receptors typically refer to different sensory mechanisms involved in flavor perception rather than the receptors on the tongue itself. This distinction clarifies why taste buds are the correct answer.

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