Which Cell Type in the Taste Bud is the Chemoreceptor

Question

Which cell type in the taste bud is the chemoreceptor for taste?
A) Taste cells
B) Basal cells
C) Support cells
D) Neither of these answers is correct.

Accepted Answer

Taste cells are epithelial cells with sensory neurons at their base. When stimulated by a chemical binding to a receptor on the taste hairs, the taste cell secretes a neurotransmitter to stimulate the sensory neuron. Basal cells are stem cells in the taste bud that develop to replace taste cells as they die. Support cells physically support the 50 to 150 taste cells in the taste bud. They do not have a sensory role.