Submandibular Gland Histology: From Microvilli To Secretory Canaliculi

Submandibular Gland Histology: From Microvilli To Secretory Canaliculi

Histology of Submandibular Gland
Answer:

• Submandibular gland is a mixed salivary gland
• It contains both serous and mucous acini
  1. Serous cells:
     • They are darkly stained
     • Have rounded nuclei placed towards the base
     • They are arranged in the form of rounded acini or roughly pyramid
     • Base is towards basement membrane and apex towards lumen
     • Apex shows microvilli and pinocytotic vesicles
     • Lumen has intercellular secretory canaliculi
     • Cytoplasm contains
     • Small and homogenous secretory granules Prominent Golgi apparatus
     • Abundant rough endoplasmic reticulum Mitochondria
     • Lysosomes
     • Microfilaments
  2. Mucous cells:
     • They are lightly stained
     • Nucleus is flattened and present towards the basement membrane
     • Cells are arranged in form of tubules
     • Cells lining the tubules are columnar
     • Secretory granules are large and ill defined
  3. Demilunes/Crescents:
     • These are mucous cells covered by serous cells
     • They are present at the ends of mucous tubules