title: Structural studies of human saliva.
abstract: Samples of mixed saliva and of parotid and sublingual/submandibular saliva fractions from four donors were subjected to instantaneous solidification in liquid nitrogen followed by sectioning in a microtome/cryostat. The sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin, periodic acid-Schiff, Alcian blue, Oil-red-O, or Sudan Black B and then examined at the light-microscopic level. In all the sectioned samples several previously never described features were observed, the most pronounced of which were a loose overall network structure and collections of lipoid droplets often in a loose arrangement. In the mixed saliva sample sections many of the microorganism-like structures were observed in large bunches associated with epithelial cells and densely staining saliva components. The present method was tested in a series of experiments for possible errors.
authors: Department of Prosthetic Dentistry, Faculty of Odontology, University of Lund, Malmö, Sweden.
authors: P O
authors: PO
authors: Glantz
authors: J R
authors: JR
authors: Natiella
authors: C D
authors: CD
authors: Vaughan
authors: A E
authors: AE
authors: Meyer
authors: R E
authors: RE
authors: Baier
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005629:Frozen Sections; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012463:Saliva / Q000166:cytology; D013194:Staining and Labeling
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids