Biologi Oral 2

SALIVARY GLANDS
By : drg. Michael A. Leman

Salivary glands are compound, tubuloacinar, merocrine, exocrine glands whose

ducts open into the oral cavity. The term compounds refers to the fact that a salivary
glands has more than one tubule enetering the main duct; tubuloacinar describes the
morphology of the secreting cells, merecrine indicates that only the secretion of the cell is
released; exocrine describes a gland that secretes fluid onto a free surface.1
Salivary glands consist of multiple secretory units connected to the oral cavity by
a system of ducts." Each secretory unit is a cluster of cells organized in an acinar (round
cluster) or tubular (elongated cluster) conflquration.2
Secretion of saliva is a reflex function emanating from salivary centres that is
dependent on afferent stimulation (e.g. taste and mastication) and involves complex
integration from higher centres. 1
Salivary glands consist of two main elements: the glandular secretory tissue(the
parenchyma) and the supporting connective tissue (the stroma). From the stroma of the
capsule surrounding and proctecting the gland pass septa that subdivided the gland into
major lobes; lobes are futher subdivided into lobules. Each lobe contains numerous
secretory units consisting of clusters of grape like structure (the acini) positioned around
a lumen. Salivary secretory cells may be classified into two broad categories, serous-
1. Berkovitz BKB, Holland G.R, Moxham BJ. 2002. Oral anatomy, histology and embryology. 3rd edition.. St. Louis. Mosby.
p 255-68
2. Garand DMD. Oral cells and tissue. Quintenssencess books. P239-70
3. Available at : http://www.iob.uio.no/studier/undervisning/histologi/section/003/100_cut_no.php. Download 4 september
2008
4. Bagian Biologi Oral. 2002. Bahan ajar biologi oral 2. Bagian biologi oral FKG UI.. hal 1-5
 Biologi Oral 2

secreting and mucous- secreting cells." Serous cells produce a product that is almost
entirely protein, while the mucous cells produce a product that contains only a small
amount of protein but a high content of complex carbohydrates. 1,2
The intercalated and striated ducts affect the composition of the secretion passing
through them. Plasma cells(which secrete the immunoglobulins) are found in the stroma
of the gland around the intralobular ducts. The striated ducts empty into the relatively
inert collecting ducts, which carry the saliva to the mucosal surface and which may be
lined near their termination by a layer of stratified squamous epithelial cells. The
connective tissue septa carry the blood and nerve supply into the parenchyma. Apart from
fibroblast and collagen, the connective tissue also contains fat cells. With age, there is a
decrease in the voluyme of the secretory cells and an increase in the connective tissue
components, especially the number of fat cells. Unlike endocrine glands, whose secretion
is controlled by the activity of hormones, the secretion of saliva by the salivary glands is
under the control of the autonomic nervous system. 1

Salivary glands may be classified according to size ( major and minor) and/ or the
types of secretion (mucous, serous or mixed). The three, paired, major salivary glands are
the parotid, the submandibular and the sublingual glands. The numerous minor salivary
glands are scattered throughtout the oral mucosa and include the labial, buccal,
palatoglossal, palatal and lingual glands. Salivary glands are not present in the gingival or
the dorsum of the anterior two-thirds of the tongue. 1

PAROTID GLAND

The parotid gland is the largest of the salivary

glands. The acini of the gland are serous, although
mucous cells have occasionally been reported. 1
It is a strictly serous gland with a well developed
capsule and septa which gives it a lobulated look. There

1. Berkovitz BKB, Holland G.R, Moxham BJ. 2002. Oral anatomy, histology and embryology. 3rd edition.. St. Louis. Mosby.
p 255-68
2. Garand DMD. Oral cells and tissue. Quintenssencess books. P239-70
3. Available at : http://www.iob.uio.no/studier/undervisning/histologi/section/003/100_cut_no.php. Download 4 september
2008
4. Bagian Biologi Oral. 2002. Bahan ajar biologi oral 2. Bagian biologi oral FKG UI.. hal 1-5
 Biologi Oral 2

are serous acini within these lobules which are connected by connective tissue containing
fibroblasts. These serous cells look like small pyramids arranged around a lumen. The
nuclei are situated basally in the cells and are quite large and round in shape. Within the
connective tissue (in the interlobular space), there are large excretory ducts, arteries and
veins; both last mentioned structures filled with blood. 1
Saluran keluarnya disebut duktus Parotidea, bermuara pada vestibulumoris
didepan gigi molar dua. Glandula parotis divaskularisasi oleh Transversa fasciei(cabang
A. Temporal Superfacialis) dan diinervasi oleh N. Auriculo magnum, N. Auriculo
temporalis, N.IX. 4

SUBMANDIBULAR GLAND

The second largest of the

salivary glands, the
submandibular gland, produces
a mixed mucous-serous
secretion. Serous acini appear
to outnumber mucous acini by
at least 7:3. much of the
submandibular gland contain
serous acini that appear similar
in those in the parotid gland. 1
As all the other salivary glands, the submandibular gland is a merocrine gland
which means that its cells secretes liquid without themselves being changed or destroyed.
Other secretion techniques are apocrine and holocrine.The submandibular gland is
classified morphologically as a tubuloacinar gland. It is a mixed gland composed
predominantly of serous acini. This is what distinguishes the submandibular gland from
the parotid gland because the parotid gland is purely a serous gland. 3

1. Berkovitz BKB, Holland G.R, Moxham BJ. 2002. Oral anatomy, histology and embryology. 3rd edition.. St. Louis. Mosby.
p 255-68
2. Garand DMD. Oral cells and tissue. Quintenssencess books. P239-70
3. Available at : http://www.iob.uio.no/studier/undervisning/histologi/section/003/100_cut_no.php. Download 4 september
2008
4. Bagian Biologi Oral. 2002. Bahan ajar biologi oral 2. Bagian biologi oral FKG UI.. hal 1-5
 Biologi Oral 2

Saluran keluarnya disebut duktus Whartoni. Kelenjar ini divaskularisasi oleh rami
glandulare arteri facialis, arteri submentalis(cabang A. facialis) dan diinervasi oleh N.
lingualis, Chorda Tymphani (parasimpatis), dan plexus symphaticus. 4

SUBLINGUAL GLAND

The human sublingual gland is not a single unit like the parotid and
submandibular glands, but is made of one large segment ( the major sublingual glands)
and a group of 8- 30 mixed, minor salivary glands, each having its own duct system
emptying into the sublingual fold. The major sublingual gland is a mixed gland but with a
preponderance of mucosal elements.
Structurally the sublingual gland is a collection of glands that have their own
separate excretory duct terminating in the oral cavity. It is situated below the floor of the
mouth. The sublingual gland is defined as a mixed gland because it contains both serous,
mucous and seromucous acini. The mucous acini dominate, but there are many
seromucous acini too. These are relatively large and consist of pyramid looking cells
close to the lumen. Basally to these cells one can see semilunar serous cells (darker cells).
There are quite few strictly serous acini. There are myoepithelial cells between the acini,
but they are hard to spot and are hard to differentiate from fibroblasts. You won't see as
many intercalated ducts in the glandula sublingualis as in the parotid- and submandibular
gland because these structures are very short in this gland. Within the septa of connective
tissue one can find large excretory ducts, arteries and veins. One can also spot adipose
tissue (large white cells).

1. Berkovitz BKB, Holland G.R, Moxham BJ. 2002. Oral anatomy, histology and embryology. 3rd edition.. St. Louis. Mosby.
p 255-68
2. Garand DMD. Oral cells and tissue. Quintenssencess books. P239-70
3. Available at : http://www.iob.uio.no/studier/undervisning/histologi/section/003/100_cut_no.php. Download 4 september
2008
4. Bagian Biologi Oral. 2002. Bahan ajar biologi oral 2. Bagian biologi oral FKG UI.. hal 1-5
 Biologi Oral 2

Duktus dari kelenjar yang besar (lobus mayor) bermuara dibelakang duktus
kelenjar submandibularis dan disebut duktus Bhartolini, yang juga bermuara di caruncula
sublingualis. Sedangkan kelenjar sublingualis dari lobus minor saluran keluarnya kecil,
disebut dyktus Rivini yang semuanya bermuara di sepanjang Plexus sublingualis.
Diinervasi oleh a. sublingualis dan a. submentalis (cab. A. facialis) dan diinervasi oleh n.
lingualis dan chorda tymphani.

MINOR SALIVARY GLAND

The minor salivary glands are classified by their

anatomical location: buccal, labial, palatal,
palatoglossal and lingual. They are primarily mucous.
The palatoglossal glands are located in the region of
the pharyngeal isthmus. The palatal glands lie in both
of the soft and hard palate. The anterior lingual glands
are embedded within muscle near the ventral surface
of the tongue, and have short ducts opening near the
lingual frenulum. The posterior glands are located in
the root of the tongue. Both groups are mucous.

1. Berkovitz BKB, Holland G.R, Moxham BJ. 2002. Oral anatomy, histology and embryology. 3rd edition.. St. Louis. Mosby.
p 255-68
2. Garand DMD. Oral cells and tissue. Quintenssencess books. P239-70
3. Available at : http://www.iob.uio.no/studier/undervisning/histologi/section/003/100_cut_no.php. Download 4 september
2008
4. Bagian Biologi Oral. 2002. Bahan ajar biologi oral 2. Bagian biologi oral FKG UI.. hal 1-5