Final answer:
Approximately 2,000 to 8,000 taste buds are present in the human oral cavity and throat, each containing 50-100 taste receptor cells for detecting the five primary tastes. Taste buds are found on the tongue's papillae and work together with olfactory receptors to create flavor perceptions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Humans have a complex system of chemoreceptors for taste sensation, primarily located within taste buds on the tongue, mouth, and throat. These taste buds are sensory organs that detect the five primary tastes: sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and umami. Each taste bud contains approximately 50-100 taste receptor cells, which together facilitate the detection of different tastes. These receptor cells communicate with the brain through nerve impulses, which allows us to recognize and differentiate flavors.
In the human oral cavity and throat, an average person has between 2,000 to 8,000 taste buds, although this number can vary. Taste receptors are distributed across various types of tongue papillae, including fungiform papillae, which are located mainly on the anterior two-thirds of the tongue and contain one to eight taste buds each, and circumvallate papillae, forming a V near the back of the tongue and containing up to 250 taste buds each.
The sense of taste works in concert with the sense of smell, as both involve the detection of chemical stimuli by chemoreceptors. When we have a stuffy nose, our perception of flavors is diminished because our olfactory receptors in the nasal cavity are not able to function as effectively. Together, taste and smell contribute to our experience of flavor in foods and beverages.