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Saliva on a baby's lips. Saliva (commonly referred to as spit or drool) is an extracellular fluid produced and secreted by salivary glands in the mouth.In humans, saliva is around 99% water, plus electrolytes, mucus, white blood cells, epithelial cells (from which DNA can be extracted), enzymes (such as lipase and amylase), and antimicrobial agents (such as secretory IgA, and lysozymes).
The salivary gland specific genes are mainly genes that encode for secreted proteins and compared to other organs in the human body; the salivary gland has the highest fraction of secreted genes. The heterogeneous family of proline-rich, human salivary glycoproteins, such as PRB1 and PRH1 , are salivary gland-specific proteins with highest ...
"There is high diversity in the salivary microbiome within and between individuals, but little geographic structure. Overall, ~13.5% of the total variance in the composition of genera is due to differences among individuals, which is remarkably similar to the fraction of the total variance in neutral genetic markers that can be attributed to differences among human populations."
It can affect any organ of the body, depressing cellular immunity and enhancing humoral immunity. Salivary gland involvement primarily involves both parotid glands, causing enlargement and swelling. Salivary gland biopsy with histopathologic examination is needed to make the distinction between whether Sjoren's syndrome or sarcoidosis is the ...
Saliva consists of mucus and serous fluid; the serous fluid contains the enzyme amylase, which is important for the digestion of carbohydrates. Minor salivary glands of von Ebner present on the tongue secrete the lipase. The parotid gland produces purely serous saliva. The other major salivary glands produce mixed (serous and mucus) saliva.
The blood–saliva barrier also plays a role in immune defense mechanisms within the oral cavity. Immune cells, such as macrophages and lymphocytes, are contained within the connective tissue layer beneath the barrier. Salivary glands are well-perfused organs due to the presence of numerous arterio-venous anastomoses [6] with sphincters.
Human saliva contains a wide variety of bacteria that are harmless in the mouth, but that may cause significant infection if introduced into a wound. A notable case was a diabetic man who licked his bleeding thumb following a minor bicycle accident , and subsequently had to have the thumb amputated after it became infected with Eikenella ...
When kissing, it takes only 10 seconds for no less than 80 million bacteria to be exchanged by the passing of saliva. However, the effect is transitory, as each individual quickly returns to their own equilibrium. [16] [17] Due to progress in molecular biology techniques, scientific understanding of oral ecology is improving.