Morphological features of the minor salivary glands

The minor salivary glands are important components of the oral cavity, pres ent in most parts of the mouth, and their secretions directly bathe the tis sues. Individual glands are usually in the submucosa or between muscle fibr es, and consist of groups of secretory end pieces made up of mucous acinar cells and serous or seromucous demilune cells. The ductal systems comprise intercalated ducts, intralobular ducts usually lacking basal striations, an d excretory ducts opening directly through the mucosa. Minor glands secrete highly glycosylated mucins, containing blood group determinants, and proba bly active in tissue lubrication and bacterial aggregation. They also secre te several antimicrobial proteins and immunoglobulins, and the lingual sero us (von Ebner's) glands secrete digestive enzymes and proteins with possibl e taste perception functions. Minor gland morphology and function can conve niently be studied in the rat. There are substantial differences between ma jor and minor salivary glands, as well as among the minor glands, in the na ture and composition of their mucous and serous secretory products. The rol e of minor salivary glands in the function and defence of the oral cavity m ay be better understood as a result of new physiological and molecular meth ods applicable to samples of limited size and availability.