a-short-review-of-histology

Oral Cavity and Tongue:

The oral cavity and tongue form the first part of the alimentary canal
It is a specialised area and conforms least to the basic structural plan of the gut tube
The oral cavity contains the teeth, the tongue and numerous salivary glands
The oral cavity is lined by a stratified squamous non-keratinising epithelium
In the connective tissue deep to the epithelium there are many small salivary glands whose secretions help to lubricate the bolus of food and initiate the digestive process
Deep to the lamina propria the wall of the mouth is composed of skeletal muscle, cartilage or bone, depending on the location
The tongue is a muscular structure
It is composed of bundles of skeletal muscle fibres which lie in different planes
This allows the tongue a wide range of movements for the manipulation of food, for speech and for other activities
The muscle fibres are enclosed within connective tissue which also supports blood vessels, nerves and many small salivary glands
The tongue is covered in a stratified squamous non-keratinising epithelium