Salivary glands

- Compound: tubulo-acinar, merocrine, exocrine glands

- Development: Epithelium + ectomesenchyme
▪ Ectomesenchyme stimulate epithelium into bud -> cord -> bulb. The
epithelium is covered by glandular CT capsule.
▪ Ectomesenchyme controls the morphogenesis and cytodifferentiation.
▪ Part of epithelium close to stomodeum = main duct , most distal = acini.
▪ Canalization & duct formation @6th MIU
- Parotid: corner of stomodeum, extend distal to ear, 4th – 6th, ecto
- Submandibular: floor (sides of midline), into mesenchyme of developing
mandible, 6th – 7th, Endoderm
- Sublingual, lateral to SM, 8th – 12th, Endoderm
- Minor, oral epithelium, 13th, ecto
- Classification:
a) Location:
▪ Oral vestibule: Labial, buccal, parotid.
▪ Oral cavity proper:
• Floor: Submandibular, sublingual, glosso-palatine
• Tongue: Anterior & posterior lingual
• Palate: 250 – 100 – 12.
b) Nature of secretion:
▪ Pure serous: Parotid of adult, Von-ebner.
▪ Predominantly serous: Parotid of old/new-born, Submandibular
▪ Predominantly mucous: Sublingual, posterior part of Blandin-Nhun, Buccal.
▪ Pure mucous: Weber, labial, anterior of Blandin-Nhun, sublingual minor,
glosso-palatine, palate

- Structure:
▪ Parenchymal (terminal secretory – myo – duct - onco)
▪ CT elements (cells – intercellular substance – nerve)
- Parenchymal elements:
a) Terminal secretory unit: acinus.
▪ Serous: high refractive index, narrow lumen, small, spherical, pyramidal
cells, zymogen granules, numerous canaliculi.
▪ Mucous: low refractive index, wide lumen, larger, tubular, flat cells,
mucigen granules, few canaliculi.
▪ Mixed: Mucous unit + crescent of Gianuzi @blind end.
- Serous cell:
▪ LM: Pyramidal (apex @lumen), basal circular nucleus, basophilic striations
(rER).
• Zymogen granules: H&E (acidophilic), bicromate fixative (iron
hematoxylin), plastic embedded (toluidine blue)
▪ EM:
• Basal infoldings, apical microvilli, lateral intercanaliculi (gap junction +
desmosomal contact + tight junction)
• Protein secreting cell: Open-faced, abundant cyto, mito, rER, golgi (4-6),
secretory (zymogen) granules
• Zymogen: 1 um diameter, dense, distinct membrane, condensed.
Formation: rER -> golgi (modification)
Content: glycoprotein + DNAase & RNAase + amylase
• + free ribosomes, lysosomes, microbodies, microtubules, tonofilaments
▪ Secretion: Glycoprotein, salts & ions, water, enzymes (CHO digestion)
▪ Washing + Serous cells: protein synthesis – storage – secretion.
- Mucous cell:
▪ LM: flat, flat/basal nucleus
• Mucigen granules: H&E (disappear, so basophilic strand of cytoplasm
appear), special stain: Mucicarmine (grey), PAS+ve
▪ EM: No infoldings, no microvilli, few intercellular canaliculi
• Protein secretin cell:…. Golgi: 10-12 saccules
✓ If in resting state: less conspicuous organelles.
• Mucigen granules: electrolucent, larger than zymogen
▪ Secretion: Mucin (protein with CHO), sulphated sugar residues, rare
enzymes
▪ Lubrication, protection, mastication.
b) Myoepithelial cell (basket cell):
▪ Related to secretory cells, intercalated duct.
▪ Shape: Basket (stellate) (small body byt increased processes)
▪ Connected to sec. cells by desmosomes • Large nucleus
▪ Cytoplasm: Doesn’t appear however, incubated for alk. PO4ase
▪ EM: Actin & myosin, perinuclear organelles
▪ Function: Contraction (squeeze secretion)
c) Duct system: Terminal -> intercalated -> Striated -> Ex -> Interlobar -> Main
▪ Intercalated: Numerous in serous, small, difficault to be seen, myo
• Lined by cuboidal cells, apical microvilli, lateral J. complex, desmo, inter
• Center, rounded nucleus
• EM: rER basally, moderate sized golgi -> secretory granules
▪ Striated duct: Surrounded by longitudinal BVs, wider lumen, easily seen
• Lined by columnar: basal infoldings, lateral j. complex + canalic, apical
microvilli… Mitochondria in basal infolding (acidophilic strations)
• Center, rounded nucleus… abundant cytoplasm
• EM: Some glycogen + Organelles (sER + Peroxisomes)
▪ Excretory duct:
• Interlobular: tall columnar cells + few stration
• Interlobar: pseudostratified columnar with goblet
▪ Main duct: Stratified squamous non-keratinized
Functions of Ducts: Convey secretion form unit to oral cavity & modify saliva
▪ Intercalated: Convey to striated, Modify (secretory function, reabsorb
protein, antibacterial proteins)
▪ Striated: KLIP WEP GAGA, Kallikrin affect vascularity, Protein reabsorption,
Electrolyte (reabsorb Na thus, Cl too), Growth factors, ATP.
▪ Exc. Ducts: Higher rate of Na+ reabsorption, secrete K+
d) Oncocytes: Age change, @ducts specially of mucous glands
▪ Large, small centered nucleus (may be pyknotic), abundant cytoplasm
(eosinophilic)
- Connective tissue elements: (Form capsule and divide glands into lobes)
▪ Cells • Intercellular (collagen/reticular fibers – glycoprotein/proteoglycans)
▪ Blood supply:
• Enter gland along exc. Ducts -> Branch into lobules -> dense capillary
network @duct/terminal unit.
• Arterovenous anastomosis may be present.
▪ Nerve supply:
• Follow BVs, break to terminal plexuses CT (adjacent to terminal portions)
• Unmyelinated, surrounded by cytoplasmic process of schwann
• Found at: Smooth muscles, secretory cells, basket cell, striated &
intercalated
• Innervation is either subepithelial (in CT bundles, 1000 – 2000 A) or
intraepithelial (split from bundle and enter near sec cells (100-200 A)
• Innervation of ducts is rarely intraepithelial.
• Sympathetic: viscous, less volume • Para: serous, great volume
- Glands:
a) Parotid: front of ext. ear + deep filling retromolar, long branching,
Stenson’s duct @U7, marked by small papillae, encapsulated.
b) Submandibular: Submandibular triangle, shorter than parotid, wharton’s
duct, encapsulated
c) Sublingual: between mylohyoid & floor, poorly developed ducts,
Bartholin’s duct (major) and Rivinus duct (8-20 minor) but prominent
septa
d) Minor: Small group of sec units & short duct, in all submucosa (except
fattyzone),
▪ Glossopalatine: @ismuth between palate and tongue
▪ Palatine: large ducts
▪ Anterior lingual: Ant part: mixed pre mucous, Post part: mixed pre mucous
- Age changes:
▪ Secretory units dec.
▪ Oncocytes: neoplasm • Intercalated: disappear
▪ Striated: No/less strations • Exc -> Metaplasia (flat cells)
▪ Stagnated mucous secretions.
- Functions of Salivary glands” SEPNEII
▪ Parotin hormone:
• Human: Promote growth of mesenchyme, inc bone marrow temperature
• Rabbit: Dec. serum Ca • Rat: Inc. calcification of incisor dentin
- Function of saliva: PB POM TAD
▪ Saliva: 750ml/day, 60% submandibular, 30% parotid, 5% major, 6% minor,
pH 6.7 – 7.4.