Salivary glands

Question 1

what are glands

Answer 1

• glands produce secretions necessary for normal body functioning

Question 2

what are exocrine glands

Answer 2

• secrete fluid via ducts opening in oral cavity
• salivary glands produce saliva
• colourless/sticky

Question 3

what can disrupt or affect salivary

Answer 3

• drugs
• radiation
• systemic diseases

Question 4

what will occur when there is a decrease in salivary flow

Answer 4

• serious effects on teeth/oral mucosa (caries, periodontal infections, yeast)
• reduce quality of life (lower ability to speak and eat)

Question 5

what is the development of salivary glands like

Answer 5

• begins as a salivary bud
• occurs between 6th and 12th week in embryo
• when fusion of the lip and palate occur
• tooth development ~ 5-6 week embryonic development
• budding formation: 3 paired buds to form (6 total)
• parotid, submandibular and sublingual
• various minor buds: lips, palate, tongue and buccal mucosa
• comes from ectodermal cells -> epithelial cells. migrate down in connective tissue and multiply -> loose grouping cells

Question 6

what is parenchyma

Answer 6

• the parenchyma of an organ consists of those cells which carry out the specific function of the organ
• functional part of salivary glands:
• secretory and ductal cells
• secretory cells: produce saliva
• ductal cells: secrete and transform saliva before reaches oral cavity

Question 7

what does mesenchyme do

Answer 7

• forms connective tissue that supports the gland and provides access for blood vessels and nerves that supply it
• connective tissue produces capsule and septum of the glands

Question 8

what is the histological structure of salivary glands

Answer 8

• capsule: surrounds the outer portion of the entire gland
• septum/septa: helps divide the inner portion of the gland into the larger lobes and smaller lobules
• both capsule and septa carry nerves and blood vessels to gland

Question 9

what is an acinus

Answer 9

• clusters of secretory cells

- simple cuboidal epithelium

Question 10

what are empty secretions

Answer 10

• central lumen

Question 11

what are secretions

Answer 11

• central lumen (blue arrows)
• continuous duct system
• histology ducts changes as ducts reach oral cavity

Question 12

what are groups of acinus

Answer 12

• contains clusters of secretory cells (grapes)
• consist of single layer of cuboidal epithelial cells epithelial cells surrounding terminating end ducts -> lumen
• each acinus may contain mucous, serous or both type of cells

Question 13

what are mucous cells (sticky)

Answer 13

• contain mucin
• viscous fluid
• lubricant oral cavity

Question 14

what are serous cells

Answer 14

• contain water and protein
• salivary amylase -> breakdown starches
• watery fluid
• there 2 types of secretory cells also secrete other components found in saliva (electrolytes, minerals …)

Question 15

what is a duct system

Answer 15

• not just pipeline for passageway of saliva
• also -> participates in production and modification of saliva
• parotid -> serous only
• submandibular -> mostly serous 2/3 (but has both)
• sublingual -> mostly mucous but has both

Question 16

what occurs to the oral cavity as canals travel towards oral cavity

Answer 16

• get larger

- grows in size from inner -> outer portion of gland (smaller to larger)

Question 17

what is acinus lumen

Answer 17

• single layer of cuboidal secretory epithelial cells