Effect of food consistency and decreased food intake on rat parotid and pancreas

Abstract

This report deals with the effect of food consistency and food intake on the function of exocrine glands. The feeding of a liquid diet had no effect on the rat pancreas whereas the parotid gland became atrophic. With slight to moderate reductions in food intake (8-67% for 8 days), the parotid gland demonstrated hypertrophic changes characterized by an increase in gland weight (without a change in total gland DNA), acinar cell hypertrophy, and elevated amylase content. Amylase elevations analogous to those in the gland were present in the saliva. The parotid gland hypertrophy seen with reduced food intake resulted primarily from increased stores of secretory components within the gland.