title: Morphological changes in collagen fiber during development of human fetal parotid and submandibular glands.
abstract: Parotid and submandibular glands from human fetuses (16, 20, 24, 28, 32 weeks of gestation) were examined under a scanning electron microscope. Changes were found in the arrangement of collagen fibers in the connective tissue surrounding the salivary gland. In particular, several layers around the salivary gland were formed by a collagen network structure. These structures, although in varied arrangements, were recognizable in each stage of fetal growth. They are thought to play the role of a "cushion" against pressure created by accumulation of granules because of the reflex activity of myoepithelial cells during secretion. These structural changes are related to the mechanical performance of granule formation in the salivary gland and secretion during the development of the fetus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, School of Dentistry at Tokyo, The Nippon Dental University, 1-9-20 Fujimi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8159, Japan.
authors.forename: Mitsutake
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kumagai
authors.forename: Iwao
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sato
mesh_terms: D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D010306:Parotid Gland / Q000196:embryology* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D013363:Submandibular Gland / Q000196:embryology* / Q000648:ultrastructure*
chemical_list: D003094:Collagen