Where is the mucous membrane in our body?
The following mucous membranes are found in our body: intestinal mucosa, uterine mucosa, oral mucosa, nasal mucosa, bronchial mucosa, anal mucosa, stomach mucosa and vaginal mucosa.
The oral mucosa
Many inner surfaces of the human body are covered with mucous membrane. The surface of the digestive tract makes up a large part of the mucosa. From the oral cavity to the rectum, our food passes several square meters of mucosa.
Depending on its functional requirements, the structure of the mucosa is always somewhat different. In the mouth, the essential task of the mucosa is to wet the food pulp with saliva and thereby initiate the first step of digestion. However, only small parts of the saliva are produced by glands of the mucosa.
The lion’s share is formed by the large salivary glands of the head. These include the paired ear, lower jaw and sublingual salivary glands. The mucosa of the mouth itself is composed of several layers.Into the oral cavity, a thin cell layer of partly keratinized and un-keratinized squamous epithelium protrudes.
Keratinized squamous epithelium is thicker and more resistant than non-cornified. Therefore, it is found in those areas of the mouth that are exposed to greater mechanical stress from food. An example would be the base of the tongue.
The oral mucosa also contains numerous immune cells, which it protects against infectious invaders. These include giant Langerhans cells, which are able to trigger an immune response of the body. If the immune system is weakened, for example in the context of an HIV infection or cancer, infections with bacteria or fungi occur more frequently in the oral cavity.
Often the mucous membrane of the mouth is swollen. So if such an infection occurs, one should always look for the cause of the problem. In addition to pigment cells, sensory cells can also be distinguished in the oral mucosa.
So-called Merkel cells are responsible for the feeling of touch and pressure in the mouth. Thus, the mucosa can indirectly pass on the filling state of the mouth to the brain. Other important sensory cells are the taste cells, which are mainly located on the tongue.
They enable humans to perceive different tastes. The superficial cells of the oral mucosa are attached to a layer of connective tissue that holds them in place. This prevents the mucous membrane from being detached during chewing and by friction of the food pulp. Because the oral mucosa is very well supplied with blood, it can regenerate quickly in case of small injuries. At the same time one should pay attention to the fact that cracks and cuts in the mouth bleed a lot and may need medical or dental care.
