Structure and Secretory Mechanism of Rodent and Primate Palatine Glands

¹ Departments of Anatomy, College of Dentistry and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, New York University, New York City, New York

In the inactive palatine gland, there are alveoli with small lumens that contain no mucus. The tortuous main excretory ducts have small lumens and closed orifices.

Drying or astringent rinsing of the palate in lightly anesthetized monkeys, hamsters, and rats caused droplets of mucus to form on the mucous surface. Glandular changes included alteration from columnar to cuboidal epithelium, rounding of nuclei, which became more conspicuous, and widening and filling of the lumens of the alveoli.The excretory ducts became straight, greatly dilated, and filled with mucus.

The drying or astringent rinsing apparently elicited a reflex action that induced great secretion of the alveoli, filling the main duct and exuding onto the surface, since this action was eliminated by intraperitoneal administration of atropine sulphate.