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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).
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 ...
Teeth, saliva, and oral tissues are the major components of the oral environment in which the oral microbiome resides. Like most environments, some oral environments, such as teeth and saliva, are abiotic (non-living), and some are living, such as the host immune system or host mouth mucosal tissues- including gums, cheek ("buccal") and tongue (when present).
The salivary glands in many vertebrates including mammals are exocrine glands that produce saliva through a system of ducts. Humans have three paired major salivary glands (parotid, submandibular, and sublingual), as well as hundreds of minor salivary glands. [1] Salivary glands can be classified as serous, mucous, or seromucous (mixed).
[5] [6] A significant source of histatins is found in the serous fluid secreted by Ebner's glands, salivary glands at the back of the tongue, and produced by acinus cells. [7] Here they offer some early defense against incoming microbes. [8] The three major histatins are 1, 3, and 5, which contains 38, 32, and 24 amino acids, respectively.
Secretion: Saliva is the primary secretion of the oral mucosa. It has many functions including lubrication, pH buffering and immunity. The lubricating and antimicrobial functions of saliva are maintained mainly by resting; saliva results in a flushing effect and the clearance of oral debris and noxious agents.
Oral ecology is being more comprehensively mapped, including the tongue, the teeth, the gums, salivary glands, etc. which are home to these communities of different microorganisms. [18] The host's immune system controls the bacterial colonization of the mouth and prevents local infection of tissues.
Peptidoglycan is the major component of gram-positive bacterial cell wall. [1] This hydrolysis in turn compromises the integrity of bacterial cell walls causing lysis of the bacteria. Lysozyme is abundant in secretions including tears , saliva , human milk , and mucus .