Salivary Glands Quiz (ODS Learning Outcomes)

Major Salivary Glands

• Parotid:

  • Primarily serous saliva (100%)
  • Accounts for 25% of total saliva volume.
  • Located beneath the external auditory meatus, between the mastoid process and the posterior border of the ramus.
  • Duct: Stensen's (Parotid) duct.
  • Duct runs from the gland, outside the masseter muscle, parallel to and 1cm below the zygomatic arch.
  • Duct penetrates the buccinator muscle, opening into the oral cavity at Stensen's papillae.
  • Innervation: Glossopharyngeal (autonomic), Auriculotemporal (sensory). Closely associated with the facial nerve.

• Submandibular:

  • Mixed saliva secretions (serous and mucous)
  • Accounts for 60-65% of total saliva volume.
  • Positioned between the body of the mandible and the mylohyoid muscle, in the submandibular fossa.
  • Duct: Wharton's duct.
  • Duct opens under the anterior part of the tongue, lateral to the lingual frenum at the sublingual caruncle.
  • Innervation: Chorda tympani, lingual branch of the inferior dental nerve.

• Sublingual:

  • Primarily mucous saliva (60%)
  • Accounts for 5-10% of total saliva volume.
  • Located on the floor of the mouth, in the sublingual fossa.
  • Duct: Bartholin's duct, and 10-20 smaller ducts (Rivinus ducts) that open along the sublingual fold.
  • Innervation: Chorda tympani, lingual branch of the inferior dental nerve.

Histological Structure of Salivary Glands

• Composed of epithelium and connective tissue.
• Key components:
  • Acinar: Secretory units that produce saliva, arranged in small, pear-shaped groups, consisting of serous, mucous, or both cell types.
  • Ducts: A system that modifies saliva, dividing into intercalated, striated, and excretory segments.
  • Myoepithelial cells: Contractile cells associated with gland tissue, playing a crucial role in secretion.

Salivary Gland Disorders

• Hyposalivation: Reduced saliva production, caused by medications, radiation therapy, immune diseases, diabetes, salivary stones.
• Obstruction:
  • Caniculi: Calcium deposits in ducts.
  • Cysts: Formation caused by trauma to the gland or duct; saliva accumulates in surrounding tissue.
• Degenerative Disorders:
  • Sjögren's syndrome: Autoimmune disorder, causing mild erythema and mucosa thinning, accompanied by mild erythema.

This quiz covers the anatomy and functions of the major salivary glands, including the parotid and submandibular glands. You will learn their secretions, locations, duct pathways, and innervation details. Test your knowledge on the essential aspects of these vital structures in human physiology.