Abstract
It is generally agreed that all major mammalian salivary glands receive parasympathetic secretory innervation. The secretory role of the sympathetic system has been more controversial. Stimulation of the sympathetic nerves to some glands, such as the cat parotid, yields little or no salivary flow whereas this procedure elicits a relatively copious flow from other glands, such as the cat submaxillary. However, even in this well studied gland, the contributions of each autonomic system to the total secretion are still not well understood. Most previous studies have focused primarily on differences in flow rate characteristics and, to a much more limited extent, on relative differences in concentration of sodium, potassium, and total protein [(1), for review]. In addition, in many studies, drugs were used in an attempt to mimic nervous stimulation of salivary flow. More specific secretory roles for each system might be established if qualitative, as well as marked quantitative, differences were demonstrable in salivary content when each nerve was stimulated directly. Only Komarov and Stavraky (2) have indicated that protein secreted in each type of saliva from the cat submaxillary gland appeared to have different chemical and physical properties. In the present study we have attempted to determine if there were identifiable protein fractions unique to one type of saliva as well as to study differences in the ionic and nonionic constituents.
Methods. Thirteen cats, of both sexes, weighing 2.7–3.2 kg, were anesthetized with a mixture of chloralose, 30–40 mg/kg, and urethane, 400 mg/kg, administered intraperitoneally. The animals' rectal temperature was maintained between 37 and 38.5° with heating pads. Both submaxillary ducts were cannulated with lengths of polyethylene tubing (PE 10) which were tied in place.
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