Oral Mucosa

It is a unique structure that contains:

-contain the teeth. -contain the discharge of salivary glands secretions. -contain taste buds.

#Classification of oral mucosa according to functional criteria:

1) keratinized mucosa (masticatory mucosa):

a-gingiva

b- hard palate

2) non-keratinized mucosa (lining mucosa):

a-firmly attached

b-loosely attached

soft palate

lip

cheek ventral tongue

floor of the mouth

vestibule

alveolar mucosa

3) Specialized mucosa

as the dorsal surface of the tongue

# Functions:
Lining the oral mucosa, separates and protects deeper tissues and organ in oral region from the environment of the oral cavity : Biting and chewing, mechanical forces , and surfaces abrasion. Insulator, as it shows a number of adaptations of both the epi. and C.T to withstand these insulates. Protect the tissues from microorganism within the oral cavity that could cause infection if gained access to the tissues. 2) Sensation: There are receptors that respond to temp. , touch, and pain. the body. 3) Secretion:

1) Protection:

Taste buds which are not found anywhere else in

The major secretion associated with the oral mucosa is saliva, produced by salivary glands which contribute in the maintenance of a moist surface.

 The major salivary glands are situated far from the mucosa, and they pass through the mucosa via long ducts. The minor salivary glands are associated and open directly in the oral mucosa.

# Structure:
b.

c.
Propria. d. the lamina propria e.

Composed of 2 layers: epi. , C.T The C.T of the oral mucosa is called Lamina The epi. formed of ridges that protrude toward

the epi. and c.t. interdigitate. f. The junc. between the epi. and the c.t. is called basement membrane in L/M and called basal lamina in E/M. It is epithelium in origin. g. The submucosa consists of c.t. of varying thickness which attaches the submucous membrane to the underlying structures. ** features considered in studying any mucous membrane: 1. type of covering epi. 2. structure of lamina propria its density and thickness, and the presence or lack of elasticity. 3. the form of the junc. bet. the epi. and lamina propria. 4. fixation of the membrane to the underlying structure that is the submucous layer.

I- Epithelium
the epi. of the oral mucous membrane is of the stratified squamous variety. Depending on their location they may be : keratinized or parakeratinized in the epithelial tissue of the gingival and hard palate (masticatory mucousa), non keratinized are normally in the tissues of the cheeck, facial and sublingual tissues.

All epi. cells contain keratin intermediate filaments ( as a component of their cytoskeleton).

A- keratinized epi: a.

they are 4 layers named according to their morphological appearance: 1. cells that synthesize DNA and undergo mitosis, thus providing new cells. 2. single layer of cuboid or high cuboid cells. 3. they have protoplasmic processes projecting from their basal surfaces toward the C.T. for nutrition. 4.they are connected together by desmosomes. 5. connected to the basal lamina by hemi desmosomes.

Basal cell layer:

b. spinosum):

The spinous cell layer (stratum

1. irregular polyhedral and larger than the basal cell. 2. 4 layers. 3. in L/M it appears that the cells are joined by intercellular bridges and tonofibrils seems to cross from cell to cell across these bridges. 4. in E/M the intercellular bridges are desmosomes and the tonofibrils are bundles of tonofilaments. 5. it is a protein forming cell.

c. granulosum):

The granula cell layer (stratum

1. flatter wider cells and larger than the spinous cells. 2. they contain basophilic keratohyalin granules (blue with H&E) 3. the nuclei shows signs of degeneration and pyknosis. 4. this layer synthesis protein but in a lower rate. 5. the lamellar granule which is a small organelle called odland body forms between the upper spinous and granular cell layer. 6. in the non keratinized oral epi. the odland body is present and may serve the same function but differ in its contents are granular rather that lamellar.

d.

1. made up of keratinized squamae, larger and flatter than granular cells. 2. the nuclei and outer layer is acidophilic (red with H&E). 3. if the nucleus and organelles are acidophilic and have histologically disappeared then their called orthokeratinized. 4. if the keratinized layer contains their pyknotic nucleus (the nucleus has degenerated but still exisist.) then its called parakeratinized layer.

Keratinized layer or stratum corneum:

B- non keratinized epi.:

They differ by not producing a cornified surface layer as well as

differences, a. b.

other

1. larger than cells of stratum spinosum. 2. the intercellular space is not obvious hence the cells do not have a prickly appearance. 3. contain some intermediate keratin filaments but they can not keratinized. 4. cells are attached together by desmosomes and other junctions. c. Superficial layers: 1. slightly flattened cells. 2. dispersed filaments 3. few organelles and nuclei are present.

The basal cells: similar. Stratum intermedium:

C- parakeratinized epi.:

1) the cornified cells contain pyknotic nuclei and other lysed cell organelles until they desquamate.

2) Granular cell layer contains less keratohyaline granules. 3) The basement membrane is the distinction between the epi. and the C.T. layer. 4) in E/M the basement membrane is called basal lamina and made up of a clear zone (lamina lucida) just below the epithelial cells, and a dark zone (lamina densa) beyond the lamina lucida and adjacent to the C.T.

II-Lamina propria
Def: c.t. of variable thickness that supports the epithelium. Devided to : a- papillary portion named for the papillae. b- reticular portion for the reticular fibers. Papillary zone may be absent in someareas as the alveolar mucosa when the papillae are very short or lacking. The interlocking arrangement of the c.t. papillae and the epi. ridges and the evevn finer undulations and projections found at the base of each epi. cell increase the area of contact between them. The additional area facilitates exchange of materials between the epi. and the B.V. in the c.t. The lamina propria may attach to the periosteum of the alveolar bone or overlay the submucosa ex: soft palate, floor of the mouth.

III-Submucosa
It consists of C.T. It attaches the mucous membrane to the Glands, B.V. nerves and adipose tissue are

underlying structure. present in this layer.

The B.V are accompanied by a rich network of lymph vessels. Nerves are myelinated in submucosa coz it acts as transmitter, but they lose their myelin sheath before splitting into their end. Sensory nerves ending of various types are found in the papillae.

# the nonkeratinocyte cells are quite dufferent from the rest of epithelial cells in:
cells.

They take desmosomal attachment to surrounding

they shrink and appear by L/M as clear cells posing a clear halo around the nucleus in the histological section so they are called clear cells. There un able to form keratin.

1.

melanocytes:

cells.

there the most conspicuous one. Site: 1) located in the basal region. 2) some may be found in the underlying connective tissue. 3) they have long extensions protruding between the surrounding epi. Origin: derived from neural crest cells. Function: