Fungiform Papillae

The fungiform papillae are involved in the sensations of taste and have taste buds embedded in their surfaces. They respond to both sweet and sour tastes. There are rather more of the mushroom-shaped fungiform papillae, which are scattered over the surface of the tongue with particular concentration at the tip and along the sides. In structure the fungiform papillae look rather similar to the central part of the vallate type; there is an almost spherical body with a flattened top and a narrow base.