Table 1

Timeline of morphological development in the taste system.

Gustatory ganglion

Placode formation

Placode delamination migration

Initial axon outgrowth

Peak cell production

Axons reach tongue

Peak cell death

Target innervation

Mouse

E8.5

E9.5

E9.5

E10.5

E12

E14.5

E14-15

Rat

E9.5-10

E11

E11.5

E12.5

E13.5

E16.5

E16.5

Tongue and taste buds

Tongue

Fungiform papillae (placode) (SEM)

Full no. of fungiform papillae

Taste bud differentiation begins

Taste pores

Full no. of vallate taste buds

Mouse

E12

E13-13.5

E14.5

E16.5

postnatal

adult

Rat

E13.5

E14.5-15.5

E16.5

E20.5

postnatal

adult

A general timetable of major morphological changes is provided for rats and mice. The first sperm/plug positive day is considered day 0.5. Mice typically develop two days earlier than rats. The bold time points have been determined experimentally, non-bold numbers are estimated values based on this two-day difference.

Krimm BMC Neuroscience 2007 8(Suppl 3):S4   doi:10.1186/1471-2202-8-S3-S4