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Filiform papillae
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Filiform papillae are the smallest and most common papillae on the tongue. They are conical in shape and cover the majority of the anterior two thirds of the tongue. They do not contain taste buds and are thus not involved in taste sensation.
Histologically, they comprise a core of irregular connective tissue, which is covered by keratinized epithelial cells featuring secondary processes. These processes contain elastic fibers, making the filiform papillae flexible.
Filiform papillae appear white on the tongue and are overlapped into a brush-like dense layer of processes.
Their main function is to increase the friction between the food and the tongue, enabling the texture perception of food.
| Terminology | English: Filiform papillae Latin: Papillae filiformes |
| Definition | Filiform papillae are the smallest and most common papillae on the tongue and are involved in texture perception of food. |
Dive deeper into this topic by working your way through the following study unit:
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