part of part of Homo sapiens saliva-secreting gland minor salivary gland Wikipedia:Salivary_gland#Minor_Salivary_Glands SCTID:362177001 EMAPA:35574 UBERON:0001830 galen:MinorSalivaryGland FMA:59789 One of the smaller, largely mucus-secreting, exocrine glands of the oral cavity, consisting of the labial, buccal, molar, lingual, and palatine glands[MP]. MESH:D012470 There are over 600 minor salivary glands located throughout the oral cavity within the lamina propria of the oral mucosa. They are 1-2mm in diameter and unlike the other glands, they are not encapsulated by connective tissue only surrounded by it. The gland is usually a number of acini connected in a tiny lobule. A minor salivary gland may have a common excretory duct with another gland, or may have its own excretory duct. Their secretion is mainly mucous in nature (except for von Ebner's glands) and have many functions such as coating the oral cavity with saliva[WP]. MA:0002479 UMLS:C0036099 GAID:940 NCIT:C33129 oral lamina propria