loading...| Preferred Name |
salivary gland |
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| Synonyms |
glandulae salivariae |
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| Definitions |
Saliva-secreting exocrine glands of the oral cavity[GO]. The salivary glands in mammals are exocrine glands, glands with ducts, that produce saliva. They also secrete amylase, an enzyme that breaks down starch into maltose. In other organisms such as insects, salivary glands are often used to produce biologically important proteins like silk or glues, and fly salivary glands contain polytene chromosomes that have been useful in genetic research[WP]. |
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| ID |
http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/UBERON_0001044 |
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| comment |
Currently we define saliva and salivary glands very generally in functional terms but it may be more appropriate to split this class. From WP: In most vertebrates, saliva does not contain any enzymes, consisting of mucus and water only, and its primary function is to moisten food while eating. As a result, true salivary glands are rarely found in fish or aquatic tetrapods, although there are often individual mucus-secreting cells. Amphibians have a single salivary gland, the intermaxillary gland, located in the forward part of the palate. Reptiles and birds normally have only very small glands on the lips, palate, and base of the mouth, although there are some birds with large glands, which produce a sticky saliva that helps in nest-building. The distinct parotid, submandibular, and sublingual glands are only developed in mammals.[3] The salivary glands of some species, however, are modified to produce enzymes; salivary amylase is found in many, but by no means all, bird and mammal species (including humans, as noted above). Furthermore, the venom glands of poisonous snakes, Gila monsters, and some shrews, are modified salivary glands. |
|
| definition |
Saliva-secreting exocrine glands of the oral cavity[GO]. The salivary glands in mammals are exocrine glands, glands with ducts, that produce saliva. They also secrete amylase, an enzyme that breaks down starch into maltose. In other organisms such as insects, salivary glands are often used to produce biologically important proteins like silk or glues, and fly salivary glands contain polytene chromosomes that have been useful in genetic research[WP]. |
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| definition_source |
UBERON:0001044 |
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| has_exact_synonym |
glandulae salivariae |
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| label |
salivary gland |
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| prefixIRI |
UBERON:0001044 |
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| prefLabel |
salivary gland |
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| subClassOf |