title: Acinar autolysis and mucous extravasation in human sublingual glands: a microscopic postmortem study.
abstract: Although some morphological investigations on aged human sublingual glands (HSG) found eventual phenomena identified as autolysis and mucous extravasation, the exact meaning of these findings has not been elucidated.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this work is to investigate whether acinar autolysis and mucous extravasation are related to the aging process in human sublingual glands. We also speculate if autolytic changes may assist forensic pathologists in determining time of death.
  
  
  METHODS
  186 cadavers' glands were allocated to age groups: I (0-30 years); II (31-60), and III (61-90). Time and mode of death were also recorded. Acinar autolysis and mucous extravasation were classified as present or absent. Ultrastructural analysis was performed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Data were compared using Mann-Whitney U, Spearman's correlation coefficient, Kruskal-Wallis, and Dunn tests (p<0.05).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was correlation between age and acinar autolysis (r=0.38; p=0.0001). However, there was no correlation between autolysis and time of death. No differences were observed between genders. TEM showed mucous and serous cells presenting nuclear and membrane alterations and mucous cells were more susceptible to autolysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acinar autolysis occurred in all age groups and increased with age while mucous extravasation was rarely found. Both findings are independent. Autolysis degrees in HSG could not be used to determine time of death.
authors.affiliation: Escola de Saúde e Biociências, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luciana Reis
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Azevedo-Alanis
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Odontologia, Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Maringá, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Elen de Souza
authors.initials: Ede S
authors.lastname: Tolentino
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Faculdade de Odontologia de Bauru, Universidade de São Paulo, Bauru, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gerson Francisco
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: de Assis
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Faculdade de Odontologia de Bauru, Universidade de São Paulo, Bauru, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Tânia Mary
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Cestari
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Estomatologia, Faculdade de Odontologia de Bauru, Universidade de São Paulo, Bauru, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vanessa Soares
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Lara
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Estomatologia, Faculdade de Odontologia de Bauru, Universidade de São Paulo, Bauru, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: José Humberto
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Damante
mesh_terms: D061354:Acinar Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001329:Autolysis / Q000473:pathology*; D001344:Autopsy; D002102:Cadaver; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D008875:Middle Aged; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000473:pathology; D012737:Sex Factors; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013361:Sublingual Gland / Q000473:pathology*; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult