Anatomy and functions of salivary glands MCQs With Answer

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Anatomy and functions of salivary glands MCQs With Answer

The salivary glands are essential exocrine organs whose anatomy and functions are core topics for B. Pharm students studying oral physiology, drug effects and clinical pharmacology. This concise guide focuses on major glands — parotid, submandibular and sublingual — covering duct anatomy (Stensen’s, Wharton’s, Bartholin’s), histology (serous and mucous acini, ductal cells), neural control (parasympathetic and sympathetic), secretion mechanisms, and saliva composition (amylase, mucins, electrolytes, IgA). Understanding salivary physiology helps predict drug-induced xerostomia, interpret salivary diagnostics and manage infections or sialolithiasis. Targeted MCQs reinforce concepts needed for exams and practical pharmacy applications. Now let’s test your knowledge with 50 MCQs on this topic.

Q1. Which is the largest salivary gland in humans?

  • Parotid gland
  • Submandibular gland
  • Sublingual gland
  • Minor salivary glands

Correct Answer: Parotid gland

Q2. The main excretory duct of the parotid gland is known as:

  • Wharton’s duct
  • Stensen’s duct
  • Bartholin’s duct
  • Rivinus duct

Correct Answer: Stensen’s duct

Q3. Which duct drains the submandibular gland into the oral cavity?

  • Stensen’s duct
  • Wharton’s duct
  • Bartholin’s duct
  • Salivary duct of Rivinus

Correct Answer: Wharton’s duct

Q4. The major sublingual duct that commonly opens into the submandibular duct is called:

  • Stensen’s duct
  • Rivinus duct
  • Bartholin’s duct
  • Wharton’s duct

Correct Answer: Bartholin’s duct

Q5. Which major salivary gland is composed almost entirely of serous acini?

  • Sublingual gland
  • Submandibular gland
  • Parotid gland
  • Minor mucous glands

Correct Answer: Parotid gland

Q6. Mucous acini in salivary glands primarily secrete:

  • Enzyme-rich, watery fluid
  • Mucins and glycoproteins for lubrication
  • Secretory IgA exclusively
  • Purely electrolytic fluid without proteins

Correct Answer: Mucins and glycoproteins for lubrication

Q7. Which enzyme in saliva initiates starch digestion in the oral cavity?

  • Lipase
  • Pepsin
  • Alpha-amylase (ptyalin)
  • Trypsin

Correct Answer: Alpha-amylase (ptyalin)

Q8. Lingual lipase, which begins lipid digestion, is secreted by which glands?

  • Parotid glands
  • Von Ebner’s glands on the tongue
  • Submandibular glands
  • Sublingual glands

Correct Answer: Von Ebner’s glands on the tongue

Q9. The approximate average daily saliva production in a healthy adult is:

  • 50–200 mL/day
  • Approximately 1–1.5 L/day
  • 3–4 L/day
  • Less than 10 mL/day

Correct Answer: Approximately 1–1.5 L/day

Q10. Parasympathetic secretomotor fibers to the parotid gland originate from which cranial nerve?

  • Facial nerve (CN VII)
  • Glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX)
  • Vagus nerve (CN X)
  • Trigeminal nerve (CN V)

Correct Answer: Glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX)

Q11. Which nerve (via chorda tympani) carries parasympathetic fibers to the submandibular and sublingual glands?

  • Trigeminal nerve (CN V)
  • Facial nerve (CN VII)
  • Glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX)
  • Hypoglossal nerve (CN XII)

Correct Answer: Facial nerve (CN VII)

Q12. Sympathetic stimulation of salivary glands typically produces:

  • Large volume of watery saliva
  • High-volume, low-protein saliva
  • Low-volume, protein-rich viscous saliva
  • No change in secretion composition

Correct Answer: Low-volume, protein-rich viscous saliva

Q13. Parasympathetic stimulation of salivary glands results in which effect?

  • Decreased saliva flow and increased protein
  • Increased watery saliva flow with low protein concentration
  • Complete cessation of salivation
  • Only mucin secretion without enzymes

Correct Answer: Increased watery saliva flow with low protein concentration

Q14. Ductal cells modify primary saliva by which of the following actions?

  • Reabsorbing Na+ and Cl-; secreting K+ and HCO3-
  • Secreting large amounts of amylase
  • Allowing free water movement to equilibrate osmolarity with plasma
  • Producing secretory IgA exclusively

Correct Answer: Reabsorbing Na+ and Cl-; secreting K+ and HCO3-

Q15. Compared to plasma, resting saliva is usually:

  • Isotonic with higher Na+ concentration
  • Hypertonic with more Cl-
  • Hypotonic with lower Na+ and higher K+
  • Exactly identical in ionic composition

Correct Answer: Hypotonic with lower Na+ and higher K+

Q16. The principal salivary buffer that increases with stimulated flow is:

  • Phosphate
  • Proteins
  • Bicarbonate
  • Urea

Correct Answer: Bicarbonate

Q17. The major immunoglobulin present in saliva that provides mucosal immunity is:

  • IgG
  • IgM
  • Secretory IgA
  • IgE

Correct Answer: Secretory IgA

Q18. Which of the following is NOT a primary function of saliva?

  • Lubrication and bolus formation for swallowing
  • Initiation of carbohydrate digestion
  • Providing enzymes for protein digestion in the stomach
  • Antimicrobial defense and oral cleansing

Correct Answer: Providing enzymes for protein digestion in the stomach

Q19. Sialolithiasis (salivary stones) most commonly affects which gland?

  • Parotid gland
  • Submandibular gland
  • Sublingual gland
  • Labial minor glands

Correct Answer: Submandibular gland

Q20. The most common bacteria implicated in acute bacterial sialadenitis is:

  • Streptococcus mutans
  • Staphylococcus aureus
  • Escherichia coli
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Correct Answer: Staphylococcus aureus

Q21. Which class of drugs is most commonly associated with drug-induced xerostomia?

  • Beta blockers
  • Anticholinergics (antimuscarinics)
  • Antibiotics
  • Thyroid hormones

Correct Answer: Anticholinergics (antimuscarinics)

Q22. Which major salivary gland is particularly sensitive to radiation, often causing permanent xerostomia when irradiated?

  • Sublingual gland
  • Minor palatal glands
  • Parotid gland
  • Submandibular gland

Correct Answer: Parotid gland

Q23. The dominant cellular mechanism of secretion in salivary acinar cells is:

  • Apocrine release with part of cell shed
  • Holocrine secretion with whole-cell disintegration
  • Merocrine exocytosis of secretory granules
  • Transcytosis without vesicle fusion

Correct Answer: Merocrine exocytosis of secretory granules

Q24. Which acinar cell type synthesizes and secretes salivary amylase?

  • Mucous acinar cells
  • Serous acinar cells
  • Ductal principal cells
  • Myoepithelial cells

Correct Answer: Serous acinar cells

Q25. Arrange the duct segments in the correct order from acinus to oral cavity:

  • Excretory → Striated → Intercalated
  • Intercalated → Striated → Excretory
  • Striated → Intercalated → Excretory
  • Intercalated → Excretory → Striated

Correct Answer: Intercalated → Striated → Excretory

Q26. Which duct displays basal striations due to abundant mitochondria and is important for ionic modification?

  • Intercalated duct
  • Striated duct
  • Excretory duct
  • Exocrine lobular duct

Correct Answer: Striated duct

Q27. Intercalated ducts are typically lined by which epithelium?

  • Stratified squamous epithelium
  • Simple cuboidal epithelium
  • Pseudostratified columnar epithelium
  • Transitional epithelium

Correct Answer: Simple cuboidal epithelium

Q28. Myoepithelial cells in salivary glands function primarily to:

  • Secrete IgA into saliva
  • Contract to expel saliva from acini
  • Absorb sodium from primary secretion
  • Produce mucin glycoproteins

Correct Answer: Contract to expel saliva from acini

Q29. The arterial blood supply to the parotid gland is primarily from branches of the:

  • External carotid artery
  • Internal carotid artery
  • Facial artery only
  • Vertebral artery

Correct Answer: External carotid artery

Q30. Lymphatic drainage from the parotid gland primarily goes to:

  • Superficial and deep cervical lymph nodes
  • Axillary lymph nodes
  • Inguinal lymph nodes
  • Mesenteric lymph nodes

Correct Answer: Superficial and deep cervical lymph nodes

Q31. Which statement about zymogens in saliva is correct?

  • Saliva contains large amounts of pepsinogen
  • Salivary enzymes are mostly secreted in active forms, not as zymogens
  • Trypsinogen is secreted by salivary glands
  • Saliva contains inactive lipase zymogens

Correct Answer: Salivary enzymes are mostly secreted in active forms, not as zymogens

Q32. During stimulated salivary flow (e.g., chewing), which ionic change is most marked?

  • Decrease in bicarbonate concentration
  • Large increase in bicarbonate concentration and pH
  • Large increase in plasma-like Na+ concentration making saliva isotonic
  • Significant decrease in K+ concentration

Correct Answer: Large increase in bicarbonate concentration and pH

Q33. The glycoproteins primarily responsible for saliva viscosity and lubrication are called:

  • Immunoglobulins
  • Mucins
  • Albumins
  • Peptidases

Correct Answer: Mucins

Q34. Saliva aids taste perception primarily by:

  • Acting as an enzyme to break down taste receptors
  • Dissolving tastants to allow interaction with taste buds
  • Neutralizing taste receptor potentials
  • Destroying gustatory nerves

Correct Answer: Dissolving tastants to allow interaction with taste buds

Q35. Excessive salivation is termed:

  • Xerostomia
  • Sialorrhea
  • Sialadenitis
  • Sialolithiasis

Correct Answer: Sialorrhea

Q36. The embryological origin of the parotid gland is from which germ layer?

  • Mesoderm
  • Ectoderm (oral ectoderm)
  • Endoderm
  • Neural crest only

Correct Answer: Ectoderm (oral ectoderm)

Q37. Which major salivary gland is considered purely serous in humans?

  • Submandibular gland
  • Sublingual gland
  • Parotid gland
  • Minor labial glands

Correct Answer: Parotid gland

Q38. The submandibular gland is characterized histologically as:

  • Purely mucous gland
  • Purely serous gland
  • Mixed gland with predominantly serous components
  • Non-secretory lymphoid tissue

Correct Answer: Mixed gland with predominantly serous components

Q39. The sublingual gland is predominantly which type of gland?

  • Serous
  • Mucous
  • Mixed equally serous and mucous
  • Lymphoepithelial

Correct Answer: Mucous

Q40. Which cellular structure between epithelial cells restricts paracellular movement and helps maintain saliva composition?

  • Gap junctions
  • Tight junctions (zonula occludens)
  • Desmosomes only
  • Hemidesmosomes

Correct Answer: Tight junctions (zonula occludens)

Q41. The basolateral membrane protein that drives Na+ reabsorption in striated duct cells is:

  • Na+/K+ ATPase
  • CFTR chloride channel
  • Voltage-gated Na+ channel (Nav1.1)
  • Na+/glucose cotransporter SGLT1

Correct Answer: Na+/K+ ATPase

Q42. Which cholinergic agonist is commonly used to stimulate salivary flow in xerostomia patients?

  • Atropine
  • Pilocarpine
  • Propranolol
  • Clonidine

Correct Answer: Pilocarpine

Q43. Which antimuscarinic agent is often used preoperatively to reduce excessive salivation?

  • Glycopyrrolate
  • Neostigmine
  • Physostigmine
  • Edrophonium

Correct Answer: Glycopyrrolate

Q44. Salivary amylase is synthesized in acinar cells on which cellular organelle before packaging into secretory granules?

  • Mitochondria
  • Rough endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus
  • Smooth endoplasmic reticulum only
  • Peroxisomes

Correct Answer: Rough endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus

Q45. Compared with plasma, resting saliva typically has which ionic profile?

  • Higher Na+ and lower K+
  • Lower Na+ and higher K+
  • Identical Na+ and K+ concentrations
  • Extremely high Ca2+ making it hypertonic

Correct Answer: Lower Na+ and higher K+

Q46. Central control of salivation involves which brainstem nuclei?

  • Substantia nigra only
  • Superior and inferior salivatory nuclei
  • Red nucleus and locus coeruleus
  • Nucleus ambiguus exclusively

Correct Answer: Superior and inferior salivatory nuclei

Q47. Which autoimmune disease primarily targets salivary and lacrimal glands, leading to xerostomia and dry eyes?

  • Graves disease
  • Sjögren’s syndrome
  • Myasthenia gravis
  • Systemic lupus erythematosus

Correct Answer: Sjögren’s syndrome

Q48. The papilla where Stensen’s duct opens is typically located opposite which tooth?

  • Maxillary first molar
  • Maxillary second molar
  • Mandibular second premolar
  • Mandibular canine

Correct Answer: Maxillary second molar

Q49. Compared to plasma, which ion tends to be relatively higher in saliva?

  • Sodium (Na+)
  • Chloride (Cl-)
  • Potassium (K+)
  • Glucose

Correct Answer: Potassium (K+)

Q50. Saliva is useful in therapeutic drug monitoring and diagnostics primarily because it:

  • Reflects total plasma drug concentration including protein-bound fraction
  • Is invasive and difficult to collect
  • Frequently mirrors the free (unbound) fraction of drugs and is noninvasive
  • Contains no measurable drugs or metabolites

Correct Answer: Frequently mirrors the free (unbound) fraction of drugs and is noninvasive

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