Saliva plays a very important role in digestion. If a person has to undergo a surgery on the salivary gland, which TWO functions related to digestion of food cannot be performed?
Answers
Explanation:
The salivary gland parenchyma consists of secretory end pieces (acini), which produce primary fluid/saliva, connected to a system of ducts (intercalated, striated and excretory) which modify the saliva. Each acinus consists of either serous or mucous cells, or mucous cells capped by serous demilunes (only found in the submandibular gland), arranged about a central lumen. The parotid glands and the minor lingual (von Ebner's) glands are purely serous glands. Upon stimulation, they produce a watery, protein‐rich fluid with a high content of enzymes such as amylase and lipase. Others are purely mucous like the minor palatal glands, which make more viscous, mucin‐rich saliva. The submandibular glands, the sublingual and most of the minor salivary glands are composed of mixed serous and mucous acini, but mainly serous acini in the submandibular glands, and predominantly mucous acini in the sublingual and minor glands (Young & Cook, 1996).