ABSTRACT
Major salivary glands play a role not only in digestion, but also in regulation of other functions in rodents. In this review, we analyzed and summarized the data about the rodents' parotid, submandibular and sublingual salivary glands functions, which is not limited to the production of saliva and action of its hydrolytic enzymes on food in the oral cavity. In recent decades significantly expanded understanding of major salivary glands nondigestive functions. They are involved in excretion of metabolic products, maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance. Special attention has been paid to the characteristics of specific (parotin, sialorphin, etc.) and nonspecific (epidermal growth factor, nerve growth factor, kallikrein, etc.) active substances of the major salivary glands and their involvement in wound healing, mineral metabolism, regulation of hematopoiesis and immunity system. Summarized and analyzed major salivary glands endocrine function in the organs and systems. Available literature data suggest: the structure of the major salivary glands, as well as the synthesis and secretion of a number of biologically active substances are controlled by sex hormones. In turn, these biologically active factors of the salivary glands, as epidermal growth factor, and parotin, sialorphin, whose expression is regulated by androgens, have an impact on the morphological and functional state of the gonads. Thus, major salivary glands operate a wide range of functions and involved in the regulation of sexual behavior of reproductive function and maintaining homeostasis in the body.
Subject(s)
Parotid Gland/physiology , Rodentia/physiology , Salivary Proteins and Peptides/metabolism , Sublingual Gland/physiology , Submandibular Gland/physiology , Animals , Epidermal Growth Factor/genetics , Epidermal Growth Factor/metabolism , Gene Expression Regulation , Gonadal Steroid Hormones/genetics , Gonadal Steroid Hormones/metabolism , Hematopoiesis/physiology , Immunity, Innate/drug effects , Kallikreins/genetics , Kallikreins/metabolism , Nerve Growth Factor/genetics , Nerve Growth Factor/metabolism , Saliva/chemistry , Saliva/physiology , Salivary Proteins and Peptides/genetics , Salivary Proteins and Peptides/pharmacology , Water-Electrolyte Balance/physiology , Wound Healing/drug effects , Wound Healing/physiologyABSTRACT
The review analyses the data on the structure of submandibular (SMG), parotid and sublingual salivary glands in rodents and on biologically active substances produced by them. The evidence is presented on the mutual influence of rodent major salivary glands (MSG) and the testes. Special attention is paid to gender differences of MSG in rodents, which are more fully apparent in mature individuals and are most pronounced in SMG. Sexual dimorphism is morphologically manifested in a larger size of secretory portions, the relative areas of granular and interlobular excretory ducts of SMG and greater number of granular cells of striated ducts of the sublingual glands in males. Biochemically sexual dimorphism is characterized by different amounts of biologically active substances secreted by the epithelial cells of secretory portions and granular cells of the ducts. Epidermal growth factor, nerve growth factor, kallikrein and other substances are synthesized in granular cells of the excretory ducts of all MSG in rodents, however, to the greatest extent by SMG. The higher content of physiologically active substances in MSG saliva in males plays an important biological role.
