saliva

the secretion of salivary glands, consisting of a clear usually slightly acid aqueous fluid of variable composition. It moistens the oral cavity, prepares food for swallowing, and initiates the process of digestion

Saliva

the clear, viscid secretion of the salivary glands, with a weakly acid or weakly alkaline reaction (pH 5.6–7.6). A human adult secretes about 1.5 liters of saliva a day, and large farm animals from 40–60 to 120 liters. The composition and quantity of the saliva vary according to the consistency and chemical composition of the substances taken into the mouth and the organism’s functional condition.

Saliva contains 98.5–99.5 percent water, and dissolved anions of chlorides, phosphates, bicarbonates, thiocyanates, iodides, bromides, fluorides, and sulfates and the cations Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, and Mg²⁺. It also contains the trace elements Fe, Cu, Mn, Ni, Li, Zn, and others and organic matter, including protein and its fractions (albumin, globulins), amino acids, and mucin. In addition, it contains the enzymes amylase, lactase, ly-sozyme, kallikrein, and parotin, as well as cholesterol, glucose, lactic acid, and vitamins C, B₁, B₁₂, H, and K. Saliva helps dissolve the food, thus facilitating the perception of taste and the protection of the teeth against caries. It coats the alimentary bolus, thereby enabling the food to pass easily through the esophagus into the stomach; it also affects the secretory and motor activity of the gastrointestinal tract.

The level of development, habitat, and nature of the food consumed determine the content of certain constituents in the saliva of some animals. In snakes, for example, the saliva contains toxins and serves as a means of defense and attack. In other animals, including annelid worms and some birds, the secretions of the salivary glands are rich in the sticky substances needed to glue together the materials used in building nests. The saliva of bloodsucking animals, such as leeches and mosquitoes, usually contains anticoagulants, for example, hirudin in leeches. Carnivorous animals that feed on live prey may secrete paralyzing toxins in the saliva. Many insects, some mol-lusks (for example, Helix), and vertebrates secrete salivary car-bohydrases. The saliva of some predatory cephalopods contains proteases as well as toxins and mucus.

REFERENCE

Fiziologiia pishchevareniia. Leningrad, 1974(Rukovodstvo po fiziologii.)

V. D. SUKHODOLO

saliva

[sə′lī·və] (physiology) The opalescent, tasteless secretions of the oral glands.

saliva

[sah-li´vah] the enzyme-containing secretion of the salivary glands.

sa·li·va

(să-lī'vă), A clear, tasteless, odorless, slightly acidic (pH 6.8) viscid fluid, consisting of the secretion from the parotid, sublingual, and submandibular salivary glands and the mucous glands of the oral cavity; its function is to keep the mucous membrane of the mouth moist, to lubricate food during mastication, and, in a measure, to convert starch into maltose, the latter action being effected by a diastatic enzyme, ptyalin. Synonym(s): spittle [L. akin to G. sialon]

saliva

(sə-lī′və)n. The watery mixture of secretions from the salivary and oral mucous glands that lubricates chewed food, moistens the oral walls, and contains ptyalin.

saliva

Spit The clear, semifluid secretion of the major and minor salivary glands, and mucus-secreting cells of the oral cavity; saliva keeps the oral cavity moist, lubricates food during mastication–which facilitates deglutition, and, via its enzyme content-alpha amylase, begins the process of digestion. See Salivary glands, Sputum.

sa·li·va

(să-lī'vă) A clear, tasteless, odorless, slightly acid (pH 6.8) viscid fluid, consisting of the secretions from the parotid, sublingual, and submandibular salivary glands and the mucous glands of the oral cavity; its function is to keep the mucous membrane of the mouth moist, to lubricate food during mastication, and to convert starch into maltose.
Synonym(s): spittle. [L. akin to G. sialon]

saliva

A slightly alkaline, watery fluid secreted into the mouth by the SALIVARY GLANDS. Saliva contains the digestive enzyme amylase capable of breaking down starch to simpler sugars. Saliva keeps the mouth moist, dissolves taste particles in food so that they can stimulate the taste buds on the tongue and lubricates food during mastication to assist in swallowing.

saliva

a viscous, transparent liquid containing water, salts, MUCIN and (sometimes) salivary AMYLASE. Saliva is secreted by cells of the salivary glands which, in humans, occur in three pairs, one in the cheek and two between the bones of the lower jaw. The quantity of saliva produced depends on the type of food being consumed. Dry foods and acidic foods stimulate a copious volume of nonviscous saliva, while liquids such as milk stimulate small quantities of thick saliva.

sa·li·va

(să-lī'vă) Clear, tasteless, odorless, slightly acidic (pH 6.8) viscid fluid, consisting of secretion from the parotid, sublingual, and submandibular salivary glands and the mucous glands of oral cavity; its function is to keep mucous membrane of mouth moist, to lubricate food during mastication, and, in some measure, to convert starch into maltose. [L. akin to G. sialon]

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Synonyms for saliva

noun spit

Synonyms

Synonyms for saliva

noun a clear liquid secreted into the mouth by the salivary glands and mucous glands of the mouth

Synonyms

Related Words