Morphological alterations of the parotid gland of rats maintained on a liquid diet

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to analyze the morphological alterations that occurred in the parotid glands of rats maintained on a liquid diet compared to a solid diet. Thirty-six animals were randomly divided into two groups. The control group received a solid diet, and the experimental group received a liquid diet. The animals were killed after 8, 15 and 30 days. The glands were prepared for inclusion in paraffin and analyzed with a light microscope. The results showed a statistically significant reduction of the parotid gland weight of the animals from the experimental group compared to the control group at 15 and 30 days. The strongest morphological alteration displayed was the presence of cytoplasm vacuoles on the parotid glands of the animals maintained on the liquid diet. Specific stain techniques for glycoproteins and mucopolysaccarides could not identify the substances inside the vacuoles observed in the experimental animals. We conclude that a liquid diet caused atrophy of the parotid gland after 15 and 30 days.

The effect of liquid diet on the parotid gland and the protective role of L-carnitine: immunohistochemical and ultrastructural study

“…Striking improvement of the vacuolated cytoplasm and regeneration of cells were seen in L-car supplemented group with abundance of their secretory granules. The present results agree with Leal et al [26] that the strongest morphological alteration displayed was the presence of cytoplasm vacuoles on the parotid glands of the animals maintained on the liquid diet. Acinar glandular atrophy after liquid feeding is due to acinar cell shrinkage rather than to losses of acinar cell numbers in both parotid and submandibular glands.…”

Low‐frequency noise effects on the parotid gland of the Wistar rat

“…The presence of cytoplasmic vacuoles and fibrotic areas are common morphological findings in irradiated animals (Coppes et al, 2001), suggesting that these signs are similar in the processes leading to a decreased or non-functioning parotid parenchyma. Moreover, vacuolization, and subsequent diminishing of functional parenchyma, is also found in animals maintained on a liquid diet leading to gland atrophy (Coelho Leal et al, 2003). Liquid diet feeding is another situation which has been shown to lead to acinar atrophy and diminished salivation.…”

“…Moreover, it has also been shown that diminished salivation resulting from a liquid diet is linked to the presence of acinar atrophy (Scott and Gunn, 1991) and to a decrease in muscarinic and b 1 adrenergic receptor acinar density (Johnson and Cardenas, 1993). More recently, vacuolization and subsequent diminishing of functional parenchyma were also found in animals maintained on a liquid diet leading to gland atrophy (Coelho Leal et al, 2003). Although rats used in this study were fed on hard chow, the vacuolization of acinar cells found in LFN-submitted animals shares some similarities with others described above, of different causes, and could also correspond to a sign of gland atrophy.…”

Juvenile recurrent parotitis: Soft foods contribute to the delayed development of salivary glands

“…Short‐term liquid diets have been shown to reduce parotid gland weight, secretion and amylase activity in rodent animals . Early investigations mainly focused on the effects of liquid diets on the salivary glands of mature animals, but the effects of soft diets on growing salivary glands have received little attention and are still unclear. Therefore, we hypothesised that the effect of long‐term soft diets, which do not require substantial mastication, on salivary glands was related to the pathogenesis of JRP.…”