Oral mucosa
Encyclopedia
The oral mucosa is the mucous membrane
epithelium of the mouth
. It can be divided into three categories.
Mucous membrane
The mucous membranes are linings of mostly endodermal origin, covered in epithelium, which are involved in absorption and secretion. They line cavities that are exposed to the external environment and internal organs...
epithelium of the mouth
Mouth
The mouth is the first portion of the alimentary canal that receives food andsaliva. The oral mucosa is the mucous membrane epithelium lining the inside of the mouth....
. It can be divided into three categories.
- Masticatory mucosa, para-keratinizedKeratinKeratin refers to a family of fibrous structural proteins. Keratin is the key of structural material making up the outer layer of human skin. It is also the key structural component of hair and nails...
stratified squamous epitheliumStratified squamous epitheliumA stratified squamous epithelium consists of squamous epithelial cells arranged in layers upon a basement membrane. Only one layer is in contact with the basement membrane; the other layers adhere to one another to maintain structural integrity...
, found on the dorsumDorsumDorsum is a Latin word. In science, it could mean:* Dorsum , the posterior side of an animal* Dorsum , a term used in astrogeology for a ridge* Theta Capricorni, a star on the back of the Goat...
of the tongueTongueThe tongue is a muscular hydrostat on the floors of the mouths of most vertebrates which manipulates food for mastication. It is the primary organ of taste , as much of the upper surface of the tongue is covered in papillae and taste buds. It is sensitive and kept moist by saliva, and is richly...
, hard palateHard palateThe hard palate is a thin horizontal bony plate of the skull, located in the roof of the mouth. It spans the arch formed by the upper teeth.It is formed by the palatine process of the maxilla and horizontal plate of palatine bone....
and attached gingivaGingivaThe gingiva , or gums, consists of the mucosal tissue that lies over the mandible and maxilla inside the mouth.-General description:...
. - Lining mucosa, non-keratinized stratified squamous epitheliumStratified squamous epitheliumA stratified squamous epithelium consists of squamous epithelial cells arranged in layers upon a basement membrane. Only one layer is in contact with the basement membrane; the other layers adhere to one another to maintain structural integrity...
, found almost everywhere else in the oral cavity.- Buccal mucosa refers to the inside lining of the cheekCheekCheeks constitute the area of the face below the eyes and between the nose and the left or right ear. They may also be referred to as jowls. "Buccal" means relating to the cheek. In humans, the region is innervated by the buccal nerve...
s and is part of the lining mucosa.
- Buccal mucosa refers to the inside lining of the cheek
- Specialized mucosa, specifically in the regions of the taste budTaste budTaste buds contain the receptors for taste. They are located around the small structures on the upper surface of the tongue, soft palate, upper esophagus and epiglottis, which are called papillae. These structures are involved in detecting the five elements of taste perception: salty, sour,...
s on the dorsum of the tongue.