Salivary Glands Flashcards
What are the 3 pairs of major salivary glands?
Parotid
Submandibular
Sublingual
What is the function of salivary glands?
Serous production
Mucous production
Mixed production
What does the parotid produce?
Serous saliva rich in amylase, proline-rich proteins
What does the submandibular gland produce?
More mucinous (wharton’s duct)
What does the sublingual gland produce?
Viscous saliva (ducts of rivinus; duct of Bartholin)
What are the lobes of the parotid gland?
Superficial and deep lobes
Where are the minor salivary glands located?
Distributed around the oral cavity. The mucinous ones are on the roof of the mouth (hard palate)
How much saliva is produced by major and minor salivary glands?
700 - 1200 mls per day (major salivary glands)
Minor salivary glands produce only 5%
What is the function of saliva?
Lubrication
Barrier against noxious stimuli
Washing non-adherent and acellular debris
Formation of salivary pellicle which is bound by calcium binding protein and is important for tooth protection
Buffering (Bacteria require specific pH and plaque produce acids from sugars at this pH, saliva neutralizes this pH)
Digestion which neutralizes oesophageal contents, dilutes gastric chyme, forms food bolus, breaks starch
Antimicrobial properties including lysosyme (Cell wall of bacteria breakdown), lactoferrin (Binds free iron and deprives bacteria of this essential element), and IgA (agglutinates microorganisms)
Maintenance of tooth integrity (Calcium and phosphate ions)
Tissue repair (Bleeding time of oral tissues shorter than other tissue)
Taste (Solubilizing food substances that can be sensed by receptors, trophic effect on receptors)
What is the emryological origin of salivary galdns?
Parotid: Ectoderm
Sublingual - submandibular glands: Endoderm (at around the 6th week)
What are the components of salivary glands?
Glandular secretory tissue (Parenchyme)
Supporting connective tissue (Stroma)
What are seromucus cells?
Secrete polysaccharides, they have all the features of A cell specialized for synthesis, storage and secretion of protein (Golgi is prominent and RER filled with ribosomes)
What does the junctional complex of serous cells contain?
Tight junctions: Fusion of outer cell layer
Intermediate junction: Intercellular communication
Desmosomes: Firm adhesion
What do mucous cells produce?
Production, storage, and secretion of proteinaceous material with smaller enzymatic component and larger carbohydrate component
More golgi present.
