title: Structural and functional studies of the effects of parasympathetic nerve stimulation on rabbit submandibular salivary glands.
abstract: The effects were assessed by combining physiological experiments with morphological examination, using light and electron microscopy. Continuous, parasympathetic nerve stimulation, at frequencies varying from 1 to 10 Hz, caused a copious flow of saliva. Both acinar and granular tubule cells showed extensive degranulation, but the effects on tubule cells were the more dramatic. After stimulation, there was a marked loss of acidic mucosubstances from the acinar cells and an almost complete loss of neutral mucosubstances from the granular tubule cells; this was particularly evident with stimulation at higher frequencies (6-10 Hz).
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kyriacou
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Garrett
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gjöstrup
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D010275:Parasympathetic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D011817:Rabbits; D013363:Submandibular Gland / Q000294:innervation / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure