- Embrologically tongue is divided in to 3 parts-Anterior 2/3rd;posterior 1/3rd;posterior most part.
Anterior 2/3rd of tongue
- is derived from 1st bronchial/pharyngeal arch.
- Is formed from 2 lateral swellings and 1 medial tuberculum impar.
- Supplied by nerve of first arch i.e. Mandibular division of trigeminal nerve.
- Taste fibres are carried by chordatympani nerve.
Posterior 1/3rd of tongue
- Is derived from 2,3,4 branchial/pharyngeal arches.
- Is formed from cranial part of hypobranchial eminence.
- Is supplied by nerve of 3rd arch i.e. glossopharyngeal nerve.Thus it shows that 3rd arch is prominant in development of this part.
Posterior most part
- Is derived from 4th branchial arch.
- Is supplied by superior laryngeal nerve-a branch of vagus nerve.
Tongue muscles
- Are derived from occipital myotomes of somites.
- Is supplied by hypoglossal nerve.
