STRUCTURAL-FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OF SALIVARY GLANDS OF MIXED SECRETION

Abstract

The article presents modern views on the structural and functional features of salivary glands of mixed secretion, according to the data of domestic and foreign literature. In the cavity of the mouth open the excretory ducts of the three pairs of salivary glands: the parotid, submandibular and sublingual, lying outside of the oral mucosa. They consist of the end-pieces and ducts. The structure was analyzed in the age aspect of the submandibular and sublingual salivary glands: the study of changes in morphological characteristics of the submandibular salivary glands of human fetus showed that features in the fetal period of prenatal ontogenesis are manifestations of the genetic (hereditary) ability of the individual to the formation of additional and independent lobules of the gland. The peculiarity of the morphological characteristics of the sublingual human’s salivary gland in the fetal period of prenatal ontogenesis is the genetic ability to form independent additional lobules of the gland having independent excretory ducts. Mergence of secretory end-pieces of independent lobules of the sublingual glands with the main component of the germ of the gland is observed at the end of the pre-fetal period – the beginning of the fetal periods of prenatal ontogenesis. With age, thickening of the wall and narrowing of the lumen occur, a significant increase in the Vogenvord’s index, small caliber arteries, which leads to worsening vascular throughput, inadequate blood supply to the organ, damage to the endothelial cells, and endothelial dysfunction. Observations of age-related changes in human salivary glands indicate almost double the increase in the specific number of connective and adipose tissue in the older age group compared with the group at 17-21 years, with almost three times the decrease in the number of evacuation ducts in the older age group in all glands. The submandibular and sublingual hypertrophy of the salivary glands refer to the glands of mixed secretion. The secretion of salivary glands is saliva, which is characterized by a high level of metabolism associated with energy-intensive processes of synthesis and secretion of saliva. The secretory function is provided with sympathetic and parasympathetic innervation, hormonal effects, local regulatory substances and constant interaction of glandulocytes with the blood supply system. Consequently, saliva not only participates in processes that pass through the oral cavity, which gives us the notion of the importance of these glands in maintaining the homeostasis of the oral cavity. but also a highly informative object reflecting the general health of a person.

Keywords

• salivary glands
• mixed secretion
• age aspect.