Definition of taste bud

The term "taste bud" was coined by a British physiologist named Harold Spencer Sullivan in the late 19th century. Before that, the structures that allow us to taste were simply referred to as "taste papillae" or "gustatory papillae." Sullivan's path to understanding taste began with his work on the common frog (Rana temporaria). In the 1870s, Sullivan noticed small, elevated structures on the frog's tongue that seemed to be involved in the animal's sense of taste. He referred to these structures as "taste buds" in a lecture delivered to the Royal Society in 1879. Upon further study, Sullivan realized that these same structures were present on the tongues of other animals, including humans. He published his findings in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, where he presented a detailed anatomical and physiological investigation of the taste buds of the human tongue. Sullivan's paper formed the basis for our current understanding of the shape and function of taste buds. It established that taste buds are not evenly distributed across the tongue, but are instead concentrated in specific areas called "taste zones." Additionally, Sullivan's research suggested that taste buds are not simply passive receptors, but rather actively participate in the process of taste perception. Overall, Sullivan's discovery and naming of the "taste bud" significantly expanded our knowledge of taste physiology and paved the way for further research in taste science.