To identify ganglion cells
innervating palatal or fungiform taste buds, the retrograde tracer FluoroGold (Fluorochrome) was injected into the anterior tongue and soft palate using a protocol modified from King and Bradley (2000).
The majority of cells of the geniculate ganglion are gustatory, contributing to the chorda tympani and greater superficial petrosal nerves (Foley and DuBois, 1943; van Buskirk, 1945)
innervating, respectively, fungiform papillae and
palatal taste fields.