SFP: histology of salivary glands and exocrine pancreas

Question 1

Briefly describe exocrine glands

Answer 1

They retain contact with surface epithelium; their ducts lead to body surface or another organ

Question 2

What kind of exocrine gland is found in the exocrine pancreas?

Answer 2

Acinar

Question 3

What kind of exocrine glands are found in the salivary glands?

Answer 3

Tubuloacinar

Question 4

Is saliva acidic or alkaline?

Answer 4

Alkaline

Question 5

What are the major salivary glands?

Answer 5

Parotid, submandibular, sublingual

Question 6

Describe serous cells of salivary glands

Answer 6

Protein-secreting cells that have a pyramid shape and apical secretory granules

Question 7

What kinds of junctions are found between serous cells?

Answer 7

Tight and adherent

Question 8

Describe mucous cells of salivary glands

Answer 8

Columnar shaped cells with flattened nuclei at the base and apical granules with mucins

Question 9

What are myoepithelial cells of salivary glands?

Answer 9

They contain actin and myosin and extend contractile processes around associated secretory units/ducts to help propel products through the duct

Question 10

Where are myoepithelial cells found?

Answer 10

Inside basal lamina surrounding acini, tubules, and proximal ends of the duct system

Question 11

What is a salivon?

Answer 11

The secretory unit of a salivary gland

Question 12

What is the difference between intercalated ducts and striated ducts?

Answer 12

Intercalated ducts are incorporated into the gland, while striated ducts are formed by several intercalated ducts

Question 13

What is the epithelium of intercalated ducts?

Answer 13

Cuboidal

Question 14

What is the epithelium of striated ducts?

Answer 14

Columnar

Question 15

Striated and intercalated ducts are both ___

Answer 15

Intralobular

Question 16

Describe the basic structure of striated ducts

Answer 16

Contain infoldings of basolateral membranes aligned with mitochondria

Question 17

What is the significance of infoldings in striated ducts?

Answer 17

They increase surface area for reabsorption of sodium ions

Question 18

Intralobular ducts drain into…

Answer 18

Interlobular ducts (excretory ducts)

Question 19

Describe excretory ducts

Answer 19

They increase in size and thickness of connective tissue along and along, and may have a variety of epithelium types

Question 20

What is the epithelium in the main excretory duct of the salivary gland?

Answer 20

Nonkeratinized stratified squamous epithelium

Question 21

Parotid glands are made of __ acini

Answer 21

Serous; they only secrete serous fluid/proteins!

Question 22

What do parotid glands release?

Answer 22

Alpha amylase and other protein rich proteins

Question 23

What do submandibular glands release?

Answer 23

Mucus and proteins; sialomucins, alpha amylase, lysozyme

Question 24

Submandibular glands are made of __ acini

Answer 24

Pure serous and mixed seromucous

Question 25

What are serous demilunes?

Answer 25

Crescent shaped groups that serous cells are found in within submandibular glands

Question 26

Sublingual glands are made of ___ acini

Answer 26

Mucous and serous, but mostly mucous

Question 27

What do sublingual glands release?

Answer 27

Sialomucins, alpha amylase, lysozyme

Question 28

What is a histological clue for sublingual glands?

Answer 28

Bundles of skeletal muscle

Question 29

Describe primary saliva

Answer 29

It is isotonic with blood when produced, but slightly hypotonic when released into the oral cavity

Question 30

What may regulate electrolyte balance in the saliva?

Answer 30

Aldosterone

Question 31

How does the PSNS impact saliva?

Answer 31

Leads to copious amounts of watery secretion!

Question 32

How does the SNS impact saliva?

Answer 32

Inhibits secretion, leading to low amounts of viscous saliva

Question 33

What is sjogrens syndrome?

Answer 33

Autoimmune disorder that attacks salivary glands and decreases the ability to produce saliva

Question 34

All the secretion in the pancreas is…

Answer 34

Serous

Question 35

Briefly describe the glands in the exocrine pancreas

Answer 35

Serous acini but no myoepithelial cells and no striated ducts!

Question 36

What is special about cells of glands in the pancreas?

Answer 36

They’re polarized! They basal cytoplasm is basophilic from a bunch of rough ER and the apical cytoplasm is eosinophilic from zymogen granules

Question 37

What digestive enzymes are secreted by the exocrine pancreas?

Answer 37

Proteases, alpha amylase, lipases, nucleases

Question 38

Proteases from the pancreas are secreted as…

Answer 38

Inactive zymogens

Question 39

Describe the activation of trypsin

Answer 39

Trypsinogen is released into the duodenum by the pancreas, where it is activated by enteropeptidases to generate trypsin. Trypsin sets off a cascade to activate other inactive zymogens

Question 40

Describe cholecystokinin

Answer 40

It is made by enteroendocrine cells of the small intestine and stimulates enzyme secretion by pancreatic acinar cells

Question 41

Describe secretin

Answer 41

It is made by enteroendocrine cells of the small intestine and promotes water and bicarb secretion by duct cells

Question 42

What mechanism can bypass CCK and secretin?

Answer 42

PSNS activation

Question 43

What are centroacinar cells?

Answer 43

Cells that are the beginning of intercalated ducts that extend into the acinus in the pancreatic glands

Question 44

The acinus in the pancreatic glands is drained by…

Answer 44

Intercalated ducts

Question 45

Describe the movement from acinus to secretion in the pancreas

Answer 45

Acinus, intercalated duct, intralobular ducts, interlobular ducts, main pancreatic duct

Question 46

How can we distinguish intralobular and interlobular ducts histologically?

Answer 46

Interlobular ducts have a rim of dense connective tissue