Salivary defense system alters in vegetarian

Microgravity alters the expression of salivary proteins.

Spaceflight provides a unique opportunity to study how physiologic responses are influenced by the external environment. Microgravity has been shown to alter the function of a number of tissues and organ systems. Very little, however, is known about how microgravity affects the oral cavity. The rodent model is useful for study in that their salivary gland morphology and physiology is similar to...

Alterations in zinc absorption and salivary sediment zinc after a lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet.

The effect of a lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet on plasma zinc tolerance tests and plasma and saliva zinc levels was measured in 12 nonvegetarian women. A diet meeting the Recommended Dietary Allowances for all nutrients, including zinc, was fed to the subjects for 22 days. Initial zinc status of subjects was determined by zinc analysis of their diet, hair, plasma, and saliva. Plasma response to an o...

Salivary mucins in host defense and disease prevention

Mucus forms a protective coating on wet epithelial surfaces throughout the body that houses the microbiota and plays a key role in host defense. Mucins, the primary structural components of mucus that creates its viscoelastic properties, are critical components of the gel layer that protect against invading pathogens. Altered mucin production has been implicated in diseases such as ulcerative c...

Iron in Vegetarian Diets

Iron is transported throughout the body as part of the transferrin protein and is stored as ferritin. The earliest stage of iron deficiency occurs when stores are depleted, characterized by a drop in serum ferritin levels and an increase in total iron binding capacity that refers to incomplete saturation of the transferrin molecule. Serum ferritin levels below 12 μg/l are associated with comple...

Vegetarian nutrition