Studies on the Permeability of Human Oral Mucosa II. The Permeability of Dry Palatal Mucosa to water, Sodium and Potassium

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The permeability of normal human palatal mucosa after suspended oral secretion was studied in 14 young adults by analysing the increase of weight and the sodium and potassium content in standardized filter paper discs applied to regions with and without visible glands. Samples taken from mucosa without visible glands exhibited a relatively uniform and individually constant increase in weight, the variation in which proved to be a linear function of the relative humidity of the surrounding air during sampling. Samples taken with direct contact between the mucosa and the filter paper regularly contained small amounts of sodium and potassium, and small amounts of desquamated epithelium. Corresponding samples taken with a cytological filter contained no demonstrable traces of the two electrolytes and showed a strong reduction in the number of epithelial cells. The simultaneous samples from the glandular mucosa region showed greater variability in weight increase and content of the two electrolytes, especially of sodium. The results showed a continuous outward diffusion of water and an apparent impermeability to sodium and potassium of the dry palatal epithelium.