Postnatal development of rat soft palate.

The stratified squamous epithelium lining the oral surface of the soft palate is keratinized and serves as a masticatory organ. Taste buds develop from the cells of the stratified squamous epithelium lining the oral surface during the first 3 weeks of life, and after this no new buds are formed. They are present in the median and paramedian regions of the soft palate: 30% are in the epithelium of fungiform papillae, the remainder being in the surface epithelium. Only 6% of the taste buds are in the vicinity of glandular pits. Glands begin to develop from the deeper portion of tubular invaginations of the stratified squamous epithelium lining the soft palate and grow by pouching, resulting in the development of glands with large irregular pouches. The glands are lined by tall columnar cells and secrete mucus; they are absent from the lateral regions of the posterior third of the soft palate.