Olfactory glands
Encyclopedia
Bowman's glands are situated in the olfactory mucosa
, beneath the olfactory epithelium
, in the lamina propria
, a connective tissue also containing fibroblasts, blood vessels, and bundles of fine axons from the olfactory neurons.
The structure of the Bowman's glands consists of an acinus
in the lamina propria
and a secretory duct going out through the olfactory epithelium.
Electron microscopy studies show that Bowman's glands contain cells with large secretory vesicles. Bowman's glands might secrete proteins such as Lysozyme
, amylase
and IgA
similarly to serous glands
. The exact composition of the secretions from Bowman's glands is unclear, but there is evidence that Bowman's glands do not produce odorant binding protein
.
Olfactory mucosa
The olfactory mucosa is located in the upper region of the nasal cavity and is made up of the olfactory epithelium and the underlying lamina propria, connective tissue containing fibroblasts, blood vessels, Bowman's glands and bundles of fine axons from the olfactory neurons.The mucus protects the...
, beneath the olfactory epithelium
Olfactory epithelium
The olfactory epithelium is a specialized epithelial tissue inside the nasal cavity that is involved in smell. In humans, it measures about 1 square centimetre and lies on the roof of the nasal cavity about 7 cm above and behind the nostrils...
, in the lamina propria
Lamina propria
The lamina propria is a constituent of the moist linings known as mucous membranes or mucosa, which line various tubes in the body ....
, a connective tissue also containing fibroblasts, blood vessels, and bundles of fine axons from the olfactory neurons.
The structure of the Bowman's glands consists of an acinus
Acinus
An acinus refers to any cluster of cells that resembles a many-lobed "berry," such as a raspberry...
in the lamina propria
Lamina propria
The lamina propria is a constituent of the moist linings known as mucous membranes or mucosa, which line various tubes in the body ....
and a secretory duct going out through the olfactory epithelium.
Electron microscopy studies show that Bowman's glands contain cells with large secretory vesicles. Bowman's glands might secrete proteins such as Lysozyme
Lysozyme
Lysozyme, also known as muramidase or N-acetylmuramide glycanhydrolase, are glycoside hydrolases, enzymes that damage bacterial cell walls by catalyzing hydrolysis of 1,4-beta-linkages between N-acetylmuramic acid and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine residues in a peptidoglycan and between...
, amylase
Amylase
Amylase is an enzyme that catalyses the breakdown of starch into sugars. Amylase is present in human saliva, where it begins the chemical process of digestion. Food that contains much starch but little sugar, such as rice and potato, taste slightly sweet as they are chewed because amylase turns...
and IgA
IGA
Iga or IGA may stand for:-Given name:* a female given name of Polish origin. The name originates from the female given name Jadwiga and stands for gia,or gina in the USA....
similarly to serous glands
Serous glands
Serous glands contain serous acini, a grouping of serous cells that secrete a fluid, isotonic with blood plasma, that contains enzymes such as alpha amylase....
. The exact composition of the secretions from Bowman's glands is unclear, but there is evidence that Bowman's glands do not produce odorant binding protein
Odorant binding protein
Odorant binding proteins are abundant small soluble proteins secreted in the nasal mucus of many animal species and in the sensillar lymph of chemosensory sensilla of insects....
.
