The Special Senses Practice Test 2025 – The Comprehensive All-in-One Guide to Mastering Your Exam!

Taste buds are specialized sensory structures found on the tongue and in some other areas of the oral cavity, and they are primarily composed of two types of cells: gustatory receptor cells and supporting cells. Gustatory receptor cells are the responsive elements that detect taste stimuli. They have microvilli that extend into the taste pore, which is the opening of the taste bud, allowing them to interact with tastants (chemical substances that stimulate taste). Supporting cells provide structural support and may play a role in the overall health and function of taste buds.

The other options do not accurately represent the composition of taste buds. Receptor neurons and epithelial cells might be found in other sensory organs but do not specifically describe the makeup of taste buds. Photoreceptor cells and olfactory receptors are associated with the senses of vision and smell, respectively, and are not relevant to taste. Hair cells and glial cells, found primarily in the auditory and nervous systems, do not pertain to the taste sensation. Thus, the choice of gustatory receptors and supporting cells accurately reflects the cellular structure of taste buds.