An ultrastructural study on the development of vallate taste buds of the golden Syrian hamster.

An ultrastructural developmental study of hamster vallate taste buds was undertaken to demonstrate the sequential morphodifferentiation of their various cellular components. Under the neurogenic influence of the glossopharyngeal nerve, the undifferentiated epithelial cells of the vallate papilla first acquired fine structure features similar to those seen in the perigemmal adult peripheral cells and the gemmal basal cells. As the development progressed, the relatively undifferentiated basal cells appeared to differentiate into dark and light cell precursors. Mature light cells were frequently noted chronologically before any fully mature dark cells were observed. Transition from light to dark cells, or vice versa, was not noted at any time throughout the investigation, suggesting that light and dark cells originate as separate cell lines from the basal cells of the taste bud proper.