1C Salivation Flashcards
Which salivary gland is the biggest?
Parotid
Which salivary gland is prone to inflammation from the mumps virus infection?
Parotid
What is the range of normal saliva secretion daily?
800-1500 mL
Which diseases affect salivary glands resulting in xerostomia?
Sjogren’s syndrome, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, and Parkinson’s disease
What is Sjogren’s sydrome?
An autoimmune disease that strikes salivary glands
What does a basic unit of the salivary gland consist of?
Acinus (blind end of a branching duct system), Intercalated duct, and striated duct
What kind of cells surround each acinus?
Myoepithelial cells
What are myoepithelial cells?
A cross b/w a muscle and an epithelial cell
What do myoepithelial cells do?
Contract and compress the acinus to help facilitate the movement of saliva out into the duct system
Are myoepithelial cells present in the intercalated ducts?
Yes
Where does the saliva go from the acinus?
Into the intercalated duct
Where does the saliva go from the intercalated duct/
Striated duct
What are the three classifications of acini?
Serous, mucous, and mixed
About what percentage of all saliva daily does the parotid gland produce? Submandibular? Sublingual?
25% from Parotid, 71% from Submandibular, and 3-4% from Sublingual
What is Stensen’s duct?
Drains the parotid gland
What is Wharton’s duct?
Drains the submandibular gland
What is the sublingual gland drained by?
Approximately 10 small ducts - the Ducts of Rivinus
What is the composition of saliva?
99.5% water and .5% electrolytes and protein.
What is the pH of saliva?
6.0-7.4
What are three important salivary proteins?
Salivary alpha-amylase, lingual lipase, mucins
What is salivary alpha-amylase?
An enzyme that begins digestion of carbs in the mouth
What is lingual lipase?
A mouth digestion enzyme that doesn’t begin to work until it reaches the stomach (needs a low pH to work)
What are mucins?
a substance that mixes with water to become mucus for lubricating food
Which carb linkages can salivary alpha-amylase hydrolyze?
The internal alpha-1,4 linkages only
Does salivary alpha-amylase hydrolyze terminal alpha-1,4 linkages or alpha-1,6 linkages?
No, only the internal ones
What are three antibacterial constituents of saliva?
Lysozymes, lactoferrins, and IgA
What do lysozymes do?
Attack bacterial cell walls (bacteria w/o cell walls like mycoplasma are unaffected)
What do lactoferrins do?
Chelate iron, preventing multiplication of organisms that require it for growth
What does IgA do?
is active against certain viruses and bacteria
What kinds of normal bacteria is found in the oral cavity?
Streptococci, lactobacilli, staphylococci, corynbacteria, and various anaerobes (especially bacteroides)
About how many species of bacteria have been detected in the oral cavity?
Close to 700
What are the benefits of normal oral cavity flora?
Prevent colonization by pathogens by competing for attachment sites or for essential nutrients.
May antagonize other bacteria by producing substances which inhibit or kill non-indigenous bacteria.
May induce production of cross-reactive antibodies
What buffering agents does saliva contain?
Bicarbonate and others that neutralize the acids that cause demineralization of teeth
What minerals does saliva contain?
Calcium, phosphorus that must be present for tooth remineralization
W/in 5-10 minutes of eating and drinking carbs, how low can the pH drop?
pH
Salivary secretion is under what control?
Neural control
What is the continuous, spontaneous secretion of saliva due to?
Low-level stimulation by the paraSNS nerve endings that terminate in the salivary glands
What is an unconditioned salivary reflex produced by?
The presence of food stimulates chemoreceptors and pressure receptors
What cranial nerves carry paraSNS information to the salivary glands?
CN VII and IX.
What is the consistency of saliva output influenced by the SNS? ParaSNS?
Thick, viscous, scant. Transient. Protein rich, high K+ and HCO3-
ParaSNS is water and in copious amounts. Sustained, protein poor, lower K+ and HCO3-
Which ANS system stimulates salivary secretion?
Both paraSNS and SNS
Which ANS system exerts the dominant role in salivary secretion?
ParaSNS
What is paraSNS stimulation rich in? Poor in?
Rich in enzymes, but poor in proteins
What effect does atropine and other cholinergic blocking agents have on salivary secretion?
The block the ParaSNS and reduce salivary secretion
What kind of saliva does SNS stimulatioon produce?
A small volume of thick saliva that is rich in mucus
Why does the mouth feel dry during stressful situations?
This is SNS stimulation that elicits much smaller volumes of saliva - the mouth feel drier than usual
