A technique of studying salivary gland function

¹ Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts

With the stop-flow method an approximate duct volume of 0.2 ml was determined for 12–15-kg dogs. Gross verification of the duct volume was made by comparing X-rayed glands injected with 0.2 ml BaSO₄ with vinyl acetate models made of the entire acinar duct system. Microscopic comparison of the control and experimental specimens indicated damage, limited to the inner cells of the ducts. Functional tests were used to determine inhibition of transductal transport of Na⁺ by the duct cells. The Na⁺ and K⁺ concentration in saliva from both treated and untreated glands, collected utilizing the t₀, time course, and stop-flow techniques, were assayed. The results showed that those duct cells previously treated with 0.05% solution of HgCl₂ did not resorb Na⁺ or K⁺, nor did they store K⁺. Thus injection of HgCl₂ solution does significantly inhibit the transductal transport mechanisms of the gland for Na⁺ and K⁺ and is well suited as an experimental technique in the study of the dog submaxillary salivary gland.