SALIVARY GLANDS

Overview
o Produced by a collection of three major (parotid,
submandibular, lingual) and a number of minor (lingual,
buccal) glands
o Acinar-ductular glands
Acinar cells are classified as either serous or mucous
Surrounded by contractile myoepithelial cells
o Serous acinar cells
Secrete a watery fluid containing soluble proteins such
as salivary amylase
o Mucous acinar cells
Secrete a viscous fluid containing mucus
Contents of saliva
o H2O
o Ions (HCO3-)
o Enzymes (amylase)
o Antibacterial compounds (lysozyme, lactoferrin, IgA), Mucus
Functions of saliva
o Lubrication for food (mucins)
o Partial digestion of polysacchardies
Salivary amylase
Cleaves internal alpha-1,4 bonds in starch
Can break down up to 50% of starch before being
inactivated by gastric acid
o Moisten mouth and wash away dissolved food
o Mild antibacterial (lysozyme, lactoferrin)
o Neutralize acids in food and regurgitated stomach acid
o Maintanence of teeth (Ca2+, fluoride)
Xerostomia
o Absence of saliva
o Causes: drug side effects, head and neck radiation therapy,
systemic diseases (Sjogrens syndrome)
o Absence leads to infections, tooth decay, and sever
discomfort
Control of Salivary Secretions
o Primarily by autonomic nervous system
Only area of GI tract not regulated by GI hormones
Parasympathetic innervation
Predominant control begins in the salivatory nuclei
of medulla which is stimulated by taste, smell,

and chewing and is inhibited by sleep, fatigue,

and fear
Sympathetic innervation
Reaches glands through superior cervical ganglia
and acts on glandular beta-adrenergic receptors
(Ach is the major neurotransmitter)
Production of Saliva
o Saliva glands have a high resting blood flow due to high rate
of fluid secretion
Further increased upon secretion by parasympathetic
innervation of blood vessels
o Fluid secreted by acinar cells is plasma like in composition
o Finished hypotonic
As it moves down ducts Na and Cl are reabsorbed and K
is secreted due to abundant Na-K ATPase activity in duct
cells
Cl-HCO3 exchanger in apical membrane is responsible
for alkalinization of salvid
o Increase in flow leads to decrease in hypotonicity of saliva
Less time for ductular modulation

ESOPHAGUS
Chewing and Swallowing
o Under voluntary neuromuscular control
Controlled by the swallowing center in the brainstem
Begins as a voluntary action but proceeds reflexively
Anatomy
o Muscular tube about 25 cm long with a sphincter at each end
Upper sphincter anatomical
Lower sphincter is functional
o Swallowing followed by a wave of primary peristalsis which
moves 2-4 cm/sec
When the wave reaches the LES, it relaxes to let food
enter the stomach
Secondary peristalsis can be initiated by distension in
the absence of swallowing
Esophageal Pressures
o Between swallows
Pressure at upper and lower sphincter is positive due to
intrinsic muscular tone
In thoracic cavity reflect intrathoracic pressure so is
negative
In abdominal cavity reflect intra-abdominal pressure
(positive)

o Upon swallowing
UES relaxes and then contracts contraction followed
by peristaltic contraction of the body of the esophagus
LES and fundus relax before contraction arrives
Receptive relaxation
Neural Innervation
o Efferent innervation through Vagus Nerve
o Visceral somatic fibers directly innervate the striated muscle
of the upper 1/3 of the esophagus
o Vagal preganglionic fibers synapse on ganglion cells which
then innervate lower portion of smooth muscle
Regulation of LES
o Contraction regulated by intrinsic properties of smooth
muscle, nerves, and hormones
o Basal tone is myogenic but increased by ACh and Gastrin
o Transient relaxation mediated by inhibitory neurons that use
VIP or NO
o Sphincter tone lacking in newborns and decreased during
pregnancy
o Abnormalities
Failure of LES to function as a sphincter leads to reflux
esophagitis
GERDGastroesophageal Reflux Disease
Failure of LES to relax results in achalsia (over time will
lead to dilation of esophagus)
o