OBJECTIVE To detect immunohistochemically the N-cadherin expression in different types of benign and malignant salivary gland tumors in an attempt to note any possible correlation to their development, stage and invasive properties. MATERIALS AND METHODS N-cadherin expression was examined in tissue specimens from 49 salivary gland tumors including: pleomorphic adenomas (4), Warthin's tumors (...

The Drosophila embryonic salivary gland is a migrating tissue that undergoes a stereotypic pattern of migration into the embryo. We demonstrate that the migratory path of the salivary gland requires the PDGF/VEGF pathway. The PDGF/VEGF receptor, Pvr, is strongly expressed in the salivary glands, and Pvr mutations cause abnormal ventral curving of the glands, suggesting that Pvr is involved in g...

Sjögren's syndrome (SjS) is an autoimmune disease characterized by distraction of particularly salivary and lacrimal glands. The aim of the present study was to compare salivary gland scintigraphy (SGS) and salivary gland ultrasonography (SUS) in identifying salivary gland function in patients first diagnosed with SjS. We recruited 20 such patients with SjS (5 male, 15 female, aged from 35 to 6...

Malignant salivary gland tumours are rare. The most common tumour site is the parotid. Aetiologic factors are not clear. Nutrition may be a risk factor, as well as irradiation or an histologically benign tumour occurred at a young age. Painless swelling of a salivary gland should always be considered as suspicious, especially if no sign of inflammation is present. Signs and symptoms related to ...

The salivary glands are divided into major and minor/accessory glands. Tumours are not rare in salivary glands and are mainly found in major salivary glands. Tumours of accessory salivary glands are relatively less common. Accessory parotid gland is a small unit of salivary gland tissue lying on the masseter muscle and seperated from the main parotid gland with an accessory duct draining into t...

We have investigated Drosophila salivary gland determination by examining the effects of mutations in pattern forming genes on the salivary gland primordium. We find that the anterior-posterior extent of the primordium, a placode of columnar epithelial cells derived from parasegment 2, is established by the positive action of the homeotic gene Sex combs reduced (Scr). Embryos mutant for Scr lac...

sialolithiasis is a common disease of the major salivary glands, characterized by the obstruction of a salivary gland or its excretory duct due to the formation of calcareous concretions. sialoliths usually measure from 1 mm to <10 mm. they rarely measure more than 15 mm, and infrequently giant salivary gland calculi >15 mm have been reported in the literature. the submandibular gland and its d...

Salivary glands provide an excellent model for the study of epithelial-mesenchymal interactions. We have looked at the interactions involved in the early initiation and development of murine salivary glands using classic recombination experiments and knockout mice. We show that salivary gland epithelium, at thickening and initial bud stages, is able to direct salivary gland development in non-g...

BACKGROUND Upregulation of heparanase has been reported in an increasing number of human cancer tissues. However, the level of salivary heparanase and its clinical significance in patients with salivary gland tumors remain unclear. METHODS Salivary heparanase levels in patients with salivary gland tumors were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) and the clinical signific...

The human kallikrein 13 protein (hK13) is expressed in many normal tissues. Petraki et al have previously described presence of hK13 in salivary gland tissue, localized to duct epithelia and some acinar cells. The aim of this study was to determine whether hK13 is expressed in salivary gland tissues and salivary gland tumors (both benign and malignant), in order to compare normal with tumor tis...