title: Incidence and histology of human accessory parotid glands.
abstract: The parotid glands of 228 Japanese human cadavers were examined to determine the incidence and histological features of accessory parotid glands. The incidence was found to be 56% with no differences between right and left sides or between sexes. Thirty parotid glands and their associated accessory glands were examined histologically: eight of these accessory glands were found to be mixed secretory glands (i.e., containing both serous and mucous acini). Thus, the pattern of differentiation of a significant fraction of accessory glands differs from that of the main parotid gland: it appears that mixed acini, present in the early stages of development, persist into later life, and their presence may be related to tumors developing at these sites.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Oral Anatomy, Fukuoka Dental College, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Toh
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kodama
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fukuda
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rittman
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mackenzie
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005154:Facial Nerve / Q000196:embryology; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008406:Masseter Muscle / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008875:Middle Aged; D010306:Parotid Gland / Q000196:embryology; D012470:Salivary Glands, Minor / Q000196:embryology / Q000648:ultrastructure*