Minor salivary glands

Minor salivary glands

• Minor salivary glands appear at about the 12th week of gesta - tion, forming directly from upper respiratory ectoderm. They develop as individual units with simple tubuloacinar systems. The minor salivary glands lack a distinct capsule and merge with the surrounding connective tissue in the submu - cosal region. They ar e widely distributed in the head and neck region and are mainly located (70–90%) in the oral cavity and - oropharynx, including the pala te, the tongue, the lips, the buc - cal mucosa and the retromolar trigone. The other sites are the nose, paranasal sinuses, pharynx and the larynx. They con - tribute 8–10% of the saliva and play a major role in saliva production during sleep. - Minor salivary glands

• Minor salivary glands appear at about the 12th week of gesta - tion, forming directly from upper respiratory ectoderm. They develop as individual units with simple tubuloacinar systems. The minor salivary glands lack a distinct capsule and merge with the surrounding connective tissue in the submu - cosal region. They ar e widely distributed in the head and neck region and are mainly located (70–90%) in the oral cavity and - oropharynx, including the pala te, the tongue, the lips, the buc - cal mucosa and the retromolar trigone. The other sites are the nose, paranasal sinuses, pharynx and the larynx. They con - tribute 8–10% of the saliva and play a major role in saliva production during sleep. -