Secretory, motor and vascular effects in the sublingual gland of the rat caused by autonomic nerve stimulation.

The influence of the autonomic nerves on sublingual glands of rats was studied. Stimulation of the chorda-lingual nerve evoked a lively flow of saliva and was also thought to contract the myoepithelial cells in the gland. Sympathetic nerve stimulation, on the other hand, usually evoked no secretion and did not cause any motor responses in the sublingual gland. The glandular blood flow was increased by chorda-lingual nerve stimulation, and this vasodilatation persisted also when atropine had been administered. Sympathetic nerve stimulation decreased the sublingual blood flow; this vasoconstrictor effect was mediated via activation of alpha-adrenoceptors.