Morphological characteristics of submandibular glands of miniature pig.

Zhang Xin, Li Jun, Liu Xiao-yong, Sun Yi-lin, Zhang Chun-mei, Wang Song-ling

Salivary Gland Disease Center and Molecular Laboratory for Gene Therapy, Faculty of Stomatology, Capital University of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100050, China.

Chin Med J (Engl). 2005 Aug 20;118(16):1368-73.

BACKGROUND

Miniature pig (minipig) is increasingly used as a large animal model for a variety of biomedical studies. Little information is available in the literature on anatomy, histology and sialograghy of the submandibular gland of the minipig. The purpose of this study was to characterize the morphology of a miniature pig's (minipig) submandibular gland as a large animal model for further biomedical studies.

METHODS

Five minipigs were subjected to sialographic, anatomic, histologic, histochemical and ultrastructural evaluations for submandibular glands.

RESULTS

Sialograms showed a long, horizontal main excretory duct and a pear-shaped gland located inferoposterior to the angle of the mandible. The submandibular glands lied superficial to the suprahyoid, and infrahyoid muscle groups, and were covered by the inferior portion of the parotid gland. The submandibular glands were characterized by a mixed parenchyma of mucous and serous secretory acini. Alcian blue (AB) staining and periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) reactions demonstrated that minipig submandibular glands synthesized and secreted acid mucous substances by serous cells and polysaccharide, and neutral mucous substances, by mucous cells.