Fig. 1 | Scientific Reports

Fig. 1

From: Protein expression of sialolith with antrolith and tonsillolith examined by immunohistochemistry and immunoprecipitation based high performance liquid chromatography

Fig. 1

Schematic illustration of sialolith formation in the salivary glands. The salivary gland is composed of multiple acini that lead to a single excretory duct through intercalated ducts. Saliva flow is accelerated by the pumping of myoepithelium in the acinus, but there is a bottleneck area between the intercalated ducts and the excretory duct. If the saliva flow is retarded, a sialomicrolith may enlarge at the bottleneck area. Sialoliths are typically found at the bottleneck area with commensal bacterial infection.

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