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Description<\/h4>\n<\/span>\n\n\nThe tongue has a body and a root, two surfaces (inferior and dorsal), and an apex.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Its dorsal surface (the part visible at rest) is divided to an anterior and posterior parts; the visceral (inferior) surface has an attachment to the floor of the mouth through the frenulum <\/strong>(from Latin: “little bridle”) of the tongue<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe surface landmarks of the tongue include the sulcus terminals<\/strong>, or the terminal sulcus \u2013 a V shaped groove between the front part and the roof of the tongue.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/span>\nPapillae<\/h4>\n<\/span>\n\n\nThe tongue has four types of papillae:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Circumvallate papillae<\/li>
- Foliate pappilae<\/li>
- Fungiform papillae<\/li>
- Filiform papillae<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
The sulcus terminalis is characterized by the appearance of 8-12 papillae, the circumvallate papillae. On the lateral surface of the tongue (usually in individuals below the age of 30) we can find foliate papillae. On the dorsal surface we can find scattering of fungiform and filiform papillae; They all carry specialized epithelial cells which form taste buds, except for one type of papillae \u2013 filiform papilla, which does not contain taste buds.<\/p>\n\n\n
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<\/a>Figure 2. Lingual papillae<\/strong> (Credit: OpenStax, CC BY-SA 4.0)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/span>\nNeurovasculature<\/h3>\n<\/span>\n\n\nBlood supply<\/strong><\/td>Lingual artery (a branch of the ECA), branching out to the dorsal, deep, and sublingual arteries as it enters the tongue<\/td><\/tr> Venous drainage<\/strong><\/td>Dorsal, deep, and sublingual veins, coming together to form the lingual vein, which ends up in the internal jugular vein<\/td><\/tr> Innervation<\/strong><\/td>See below<\/td><\/tr> Lymphatic drainage<\/strong><\/td>Submental (central part), submandibular (lateral parts), and deep cervical nodes (deep and posterior parts of the tongue)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>Table 1. Neurovasculature of the tongue<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<\/span>\nThe location of the lingual artery: Pirogov\u2019s Triangle<\/h4>\n<\/span>\n\n\nThe lingual artery can be located in a triangle known as Pirogov’s triangle<\/strong> formed between the following structures:<\/p>\n\n\n\n- Tendon of the digastric muscle<\/li>
- The posterior border of the mylohyoid muscle<\/li>
- Hypoglossal nerve<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n<\/span>\n
Innervation<\/h4>\n<\/span>\n\n\nFor somatic and special (taste) sensation, the tongue is split into an anterior 2\/3 and a lateral 1\/3:<\/p>\n\n\n\nType of innervation<\/th> Anterior 2\/3<\/th> Posterior 1\/3<\/th><\/tr><\/thead> Somatic<\/strong><\/td>Lingual (from CN V3)<\/td> Glossopharyngeal<\/td><\/tr> Special viscerosensory (taste)<\/strong><\/td>Chorda tympani (from CN VII)<\/td> Glossopharyngeal<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>Table 2. Innervation of the tongue<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nA small portion of the taste buds at the back of the root of the tongue are innervated by the vagus (CN X) \u2014 special viscerosensory.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/span>\nLingual tonsil<\/h4>\n<\/span>\n\n\nThe root of the tongue contains an aggregation of lymphatic tissue \u2013 the lingual tonsil, part of Waldeyer\u2019s tonsillar ring<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/span>
The surface landmarks of the tongue include the sulcus terminals<\/strong>, or the terminal sulcus \u2013 a V shaped groove between the front part and the roof of the tongue.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/span>\n The tongue has four types of papillae:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The sulcus terminalis is characterized by the appearance of 8-12 papillae, the circumvallate papillae. On the lateral surface of the tongue (usually in individuals below the age of 30) we can find foliate papillae. On the dorsal surface we can find scattering of fungiform and filiform papillae; They all carry specialized epithelial cells which form taste buds, except for one type of papillae \u2013 filiform papilla, which does not contain taste buds.<\/p>\n\n\n The lingual artery can be located in a triangle known as Pirogov’s triangle<\/strong> formed between the following structures:<\/p>\n\n\n\n For somatic and special (taste) sensation, the tongue is split into an anterior 2\/3 and a lateral 1\/3:<\/p>\n\n\n\n A small portion of the taste buds at the back of the root of the tongue are innervated by the vagus (CN X) \u2014 special viscerosensory.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/span>\n The root of the tongue contains an aggregation of lymphatic tissue \u2013 the lingual tonsil, part of Waldeyer\u2019s tonsillar ring<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/span>Papillae<\/h4>\n<\/span>\n\n\n
<\/a>Neurovasculature<\/h3>\n<\/span>\n\n\n
Blood supply<\/strong><\/td> Lingual artery (a branch of the ECA), branching out to the dorsal, deep, and sublingual arteries as it enters the tongue<\/td><\/tr> Venous drainage<\/strong><\/td> Dorsal, deep, and sublingual veins, coming together to form the lingual vein, which ends up in the internal jugular vein<\/td><\/tr> Innervation<\/strong><\/td> See below<\/td><\/tr> Lymphatic drainage<\/strong><\/td> Submental (central part), submandibular (lateral parts), and deep cervical nodes (deep and posterior parts of the tongue)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table> The location of the lingual artery: Pirogov\u2019s Triangle<\/h4>\n<\/span>\n\n\n
Innervation<\/h4>\n<\/span>\n\n\n
Type of innervation<\/th> Anterior 2\/3<\/th> Posterior 1\/3<\/th><\/tr><\/thead> Somatic<\/strong><\/td> Lingual (from CN V3)<\/td> Glossopharyngeal<\/td><\/tr> Special viscerosensory (taste)<\/strong><\/td> Chorda tympani (from CN VII)<\/td> Glossopharyngeal<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table> Lingual tonsil<\/h4>\n<\/span>\n\n\n