Cat tongue surface, SEM

Cat's tongue. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of the surface of a cat's (family Felidae) tongue. The tongue is covered in many backward facing projections called filiform papillae. These tough structures are used to clean the cat's fur and to rasp meat from its prey. The flat round structures, some of which can be seen at upper left, are fungiform papillae, which contain the taste buds.