Oral Mucosa Flashcards
Epithelial layer contains what layers?
basal layer (mitosis occurs) + prickle cell layer (cells move toward the luminal surface) + outer layer (may be keratinized)
What are the 3 Types of Oral Mucosa?
o Lining- under tongue, floor of mouth, cheek, inner lip and soft palate
♣Aka mucus membrane because it contains minor salivary glands
o Masticatory- at the hard palate and gingiva
o Specialized- at the upper surface of the tongue
Oral Cavity (6)= ?
lips + Cheeks + Maxilla + Mandible + Tongue + Hard/ Soft Palates
What’s the general structure of the oral mucosal tissue?
epithelial layer + basal lamina + lamina propria (CT) + Submucosal Layer (may not be present) + muscle/ bone (may not be present)
Submucosa- loose CT that provides flexibility/ compressibility (i.e. cheeks/ soft palate)
The epithelial layer contains what cells?
melanocytes (pigmentation) + Langerhans Cells (immune cells) + Merkel Cells (associated w/ nerve terminals) + Inflammatory Cells (lymphocytes, monocytes & neutrophils)
What’s the point of Rete’s Ridges/ Papilla?
RR- extensions of epithelial tissue
P- extensions of lamina propria
RR/P interdigitate to increase the surface area between the 2 tissues/ increase the strength of the junction
Hemidesmosomes/ Disk Portion/ Tonofibrils/ Anchoring Fibrils
What’s the purpose?
H- bottom of epithelial layer
DP- in Basal lamina
T- extend into EL
AF- extend into lamina propria layer to anchor collagen fibers
provides interdigitateion of the layers and the hemidesmosomes- holds EL to LP to avoid shearing
Vermilion Boarder vs Fordyce Spots
VB- thinner keratinized epithelium; gives way to lining mucosa of inner lip; highly vascularized (why it’s pink)
FS- at corners of mouth; lends lubrication/ flexibility to corner of mouth (where it’s frequently stretched)
What’s the tissue w/in cheeks and its components?
Buccal Tissue- contains fat cells and buccal salivary glands between striated muscle fibers which allow for voluntary movement of the cheeks
Cheeks aren’t keratanized, so cells that shed contain nuclei
Soft Palate structure
- very thick lamina propria w/ a lot of papillae
- Submucosal layer is loose CT containing many minor salivary glands
- seperates oral cavity from nasal pharynges (prevents backflowing of food/ fluid into nose)
- Soft palate lining: oral mucosa (strat. squam epith) + respiratory epithelium (pseudostratified)
Ventral Surface of Tongue
- thin epithelial layer w/ numerous papilllae (thin- can see vasculature in mirror)
- Submucosa is absent- lamina propria bound directly to CT coverin striated muscle
Floor of the Mouth
- thin lining oral mucosa w/ broad papillae
- highly vascularized
- submucosa contains sublingual salivary glands (mucous)
Masticatory Mucosa
- keratinized due to high abrasion (chewing)
- no submucosal layer (lamina propria directly to bone)
- Exception- hard palate in premolar area
Found in: gingiva + hard palate
What are 4 types of gingival tissue?
- attached gingiva- attached to alveolar bone of jaw; stippled (due to rete’s ridges)
- free gingiva- the collar around base of tooth
- sulcar + Junctional Gingiva- inner surface of FG, which faces tooth enaeml (NON-KERATINIZED)
Traction Bands/ median raphe/ Rugae
TB- connects lamina propria of hard palate to bone to prevent shearing forces
MR- midline of HP of 2 palatine shelves
R- deep folds of lamina propria
HP- no submucosal layer except laterally near premolar area
