What are the taste receptors called?

The correct answer is that taste receptors are referred to as taste buds. Taste buds are specialized structures on the tongue that contain the taste receptor cells responsible for detecting and transmitting taste information to the brain. These receptor cells respond to different taste modalities: sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami, allowing us to perceive various flavors.

While "taste cells" can be a term used informally to describe the individual cells within taste buds responsible for detecting taste stimuli, the more accurate term for the overall structures that house these cells is "taste buds." Gustatory nerves are the pathways that carry taste information from the taste buds to the brain, but they are not the receptors themselves. "Taste nodes" is not a recognized term in the field of taste perception.

Thus, understanding that taste buds are the correct term helps clarify the structure and function involved in the sensation of taste.