Introduction
The submandibular gland is a mixed (seromucous) salivary gland, mostly serous. The slide shows its secretory acini, and simple cuboidal epithelium in its ducts.
Stain
H&E: nuclei blue-purple; serous cells darker; mucous cells pale.
How to recognise it
- Serous acini: small and dark, with pyramidal cells, round basal nuclei and granular cytoplasm. They are the majority.
- Mucous acini: larger and pale, with foamy cytoplasm and flat nuclei pressed to the base.
- Mixed acini: mucous tubules capped by crescents of serous cells (serous demilunes).
- Ducts: intercalated ducts lined by low cuboidal cells, and many striated ducts lined by pink cuboidal to columnar cells with central nuclei.
Don't confuse it with: the parotid gland (almost purely serous) or the sublingual gland (mostly mucous).
Theory: topics 37 (simple surface epithelia) and 39 (exocrine glands).