Histology - Salivary Glands
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Salivary Glands
- Comprise acini that secrete watery and/or mucous solutions with digestive enzymes.
- These secretions are forced from the acini lumen, through intercalated and striated ducts, and, ultimately, into the oral cavity via main salivary ducts.
- Myoepithelial cells encircle acini; these cells wrap around serous and mucous acini, and contract to force their secretions from the acini lumen into the ductile system.
- Striated ducts receive secretions from intercalated ducts; these are distinguished by their striped appearance, which derives from basal interdigitations of cytoplasmic processes.
Parotid Gland
- Lies in the cheek and is the largest salivary gland
- Septum = ribbons of connective tissue that divide the glandular tissue into irregular-shaped lobes.
- House blood vessels and large excretory ducts, which are characterized by stratified cuboidal epithelia.
- The lobular tissue = serous acini, which are clusters of cells that produce a watery substance.
- At higher magnification, we would see the cytoplasmic zymogen granules that contain digestive enzymes and proenzymes.
Sublingual gland
- Lies under the tongue.
- Comprises light-staining mucous acini, which appear cloud-like in this sample.
- Adipocytes may also be present; they are more prevalent in the glands of older individuals.
Submandibular gland
- Lies under the lower jaw bone (the mandible)
- Comprises a mix of light and dark acini
- Mucous acini with serous demilune caps
Images:
Histology (Mark Braun, MD, & Indiana University: http://medsci.indiana.edu/c602web/602/c602web/toc.htm; http://www.indiana.edu/~anat215/virtualscope2/start.htm)