The Embryology of the Salivary Glands: An Update

The development of the salivary glands is a highly orchestrated process that revolves around the interactions among the initial epithelial bud for each gland, the surrounding mesenchyme, and the extracellular matrix, which forms the basement membrane at the boundary between the epithelium and the mesenchyme. This illustrated review examined the processes that lead to the development of the salivary glands, which have a crucial role in maintaining oral hygiene, the perception of taste, and digestion.

Learning Objective: The reader will learn the embryology of the salivary glands and how this relates to the adult anatomy of these glands.