Tongue Anatomy: Eight Muscles Covered in Mucosa, Housing Taste Buds for Flavor Perception

The tongue is a muscular hydrostat—composed entirely of muscle (no bone)—allowing complex 3D shape changes without skeletal support.

Musculature

• Intrinsic (4): Superior/inferior longitudinal, transverse, vertical – alter shape (shorten, narrow, curl).
• Extrinsic (4): Genioglossus (protrudes), hyoglossus (depresses), styloglossus (retracts/elevates), palatoglossus (elevates posterior tongue) – change position.

Mucosa & Specialization

• Dorsal surface: Lingual papillae (filiform, fungiform, foliate, circumvallate) house taste buds.
• Ventral surface: Thin, vascular, no papillae.
• Lingual tonsil (posterior base): Lymphoid tissue.

Functions

Mastication, deglutition, speech articulation, taste (sweet, salty, sour, bitter, umami), oral cleaning.