The Human Body

[Genetic Defect]

Originally Posted by MithShrike

I'm pretty sure that saliva one is false... The purpose of saliva is a solvent for water soluble materials in the mouth, amylase breaks down starches... I don't see that it has much to do with your sense of taste. I don't think saliva can break down cigar smoke...

Meh, I over thought this one for sure.

Originally Posted by Big Vito

Lubrication and binding: the mucus in saliva is extremely effective in binding masticated food into a slippery bolus that (usually) slides easily through the esophagus without inflicting damage to the mucosa. Saliva also coats the oral cavity and esophagus, and food basically never directly touches the epithelial cells of those tissues.

Solubilizes dry food: in order to be tasted, the molecules in food must be solubilized.
Oral hygiene: The oral cavity is almost constantly flushed with saliva, which floats away food debris and keeps the mouth relatively clean. Flow of saliva diminishes considerably during sleep, allow populations of bacteria to build up in the mouth -- the result is dragon breath in the morning. Saliva also contains lysozyme, an enzyme that lyses many bacteria and prevents overgrowth of oral microbial populations.

Initiates starch digestion: in most species, the serous acinar cells secrete an alpha-amylase which can begin to digest dietary starch into maltose. Amylase is not present, or present only in very small quantities, in the saliva of carnivores or cattle.
Provides alkaline buffering and fluid: this is of great importance in ruminants, which have non-secretory forestomachs.

Evaporative cooling: clearly of importance in dogs, which have very poorly developed sweat glands - look at a dog panting after a long run and this function will be clear.

both posts refer to salivary glands.

[icehog3]

Originally Posted by Big Vito

both posts refer to salivary glands.

I knew what your cutting and pasting was about. I was responding to your telling me to go back to kindergarten.

[King James]

amazing how strong the femur is and yet the situations in which it can break seems so weird.... sometimes just the right amount of force in a certain spot does it.

[Genetic Defect]

Originally Posted by icehog3

I knew what your cutting and pasting was about. I was responding to your telling me to go back to kindergarten.

and you never really got it

[icehog3]

Originally Posted by Big Vito

and you never really got it

I'm out, I can't win the last 3 days.

[Starscream]

Can I go back to kindergarten too?

[Genetic Defect]

Originally Posted by andysutherland

Can I go back to kindergarten too?

no

[Starscream]

Originally Posted by Big Vito

no

But I like to eat paste.

Originally Posted by andysutherland

Can I go back to kindergarten too?

I went to Kindergarten twice. I was bored both times.