Final answer:
The bumps on the surface of the tongue are called papillae, which house taste buds sensitive to the chemicals in food and drink. There are four types of papillae: circumvallate, foliate, filiform, and fungiform.
Step-by-step explanation:
The small bumps located on the surface of the tongue are referred to as papillae. These papillae contain taste buds that are sensitive to chemicals in foods and drinks. The four primary types of papillae are:
- Circumvallate papillae: Shaped like large mounds surrounded by a trench and located at the back of the tongue.
- Foliate papillae: Leaf-shaped and found on the sides of the tongue.
- filiform papillae: Thin and thread-like, they do not contain taste buds but help to move food around and create an abrasive surface, much like a cat's tongue.
- Fungiform papillae: Mushroom-shaped and found across the tongue, larger at the back and smaller at the tip and sides, containing taste buds.
The taste buds house specialized gustatory receptor cells for the transduction of taste stimuli, which react to the chemicals in food. These cells release neurotransmitters that activate sensory neurons in the facial, glossopharyngeal, and vagus cranial nerves.