Mature salivary glands of both human and mouse origin comprise a minimum of five cell
types, each of which facilitates the production and excretion of saliva into the oral cavity.
Serous and mucous acinar cells are the protein and mucous producing factories of the gland
respectively, and represent the origin of saliva production. Once synthesised, the various
enzymatic and other proteinaceous components of saliva are secreted through a series of
ductal cells bearing epithelial-type morphology, until the eventual expulsion of the saliva …