Relationship between the number of taste buds per papilla and EGM threshold change in No. 3 (group 2). A bar in preoperative days indicates the mean number of taste buds. (A) Pre- and postoperative distribution of the number of taste buds per papilla. (B) A fitting curve of regenerated taste buds and change of EGM thresholds (dotted line). (C) Confocal laser scanning microscopic findings of regenerated taste buds (14-μm depth) and (19-μm depth), as indicated in Figure 2A. Bar = 100 μm.