Ultrastructure of the Celis of a Fish Tastebud

Abstract

Four types of specialized epithelial cells have been observed in the fish tastebud, within the capsule formed by the flattened epidermal cells. However, only two or three of these have been previously noted in any one species, including the glass catfish Kryptopterus bicirrhis, the subject of this investigation (1,2). For the first time, all four types of specialized cells have been observed,and an artifact of fixation relevant to the identification of these cell types has been uncovered.A single basal, or B cell lies on the basement membrane of the epidermis (Fig. 1). It makes many synapses with the afferent nerve plexus, which lies just above it. The other three cell types, designated S,L and T cells (Fig. 2A) are external to the nerve plexus, and only rarely make synapses onto nerves, confirming the observations of several other investigations.