MEDIVEERSETHE PRACTICAL HUB
Locate parotid gland on this anatomical reference. Read the original plate labels to confirm the view and adjacent structures.
Zoom in, then drag to inspect. Keyboard: + / − to zoom, arrows to pan, 0 to reset. Tap the numbered markers to explore parts.
salivary: labelled anatomical figure. Original source colours and labels retained.
Image: OpenStax / University of Hawaiʻi adapted teaching figures; original contributors credited at source · Source / original · CC BY 4.0 — figure credits at sourceNumbered markers and focused views are Mediveerse learning overlays; the original reference is linked above.
Parotid gland
Understand what you see.
Largest major salivary gland; predominantly serous secretion.
Zoom into the original labels. Practise pointing out each structure, then explain it aloud. Diagrams are teaching references; specimen appearance and slide staining vary.
How to recognise it.
- Lobulated gland anterior and inferior to external ear
- Overlies posterior masseter and mandibular ramus
- Parotid duct crosses masseter
Point them out.
Tap a number to open its reference, zoom in and locate the structure. Numbers stay the same across views. This key follows landmarks visible in the reference images.
Think first. Then reveal.
Say your answer aloud before opening the suggested response.
Examiner-style prompts: identify the structure, explain its relations, then answer the applied follow-up. These are revision questions, not authenticated past papers.
01Identify parotid gland and give its main role.+
Lobulated gland anterior and inferior to external ear. Overlies posterior masseter and mandibular ramus. Parotid duct crosses masseter. Largest major salivary gland; predominantly serous secretion.
02Give the usual superficial-to-deep intraparotid order.+
Facial nerve, retromandibular vein and external carotid artery. Branching patterns and exact relations vary.
03Trace its parasympathetic secretomotor pathway.+
IX → tympanic nerve/plexus → lesser petrosal nerve → otic ganglion → auriculotemporal nerve. VII traverses the gland but does not provide its secretomotor supply.
04Point out three important relations and explain their significance.+
Facial nerve plexus; Retromandibular vein; External carotid artery. Largest major salivary gland; predominantly serous secretion. Use the reference plate to locate the region; the relationship map organises the associations and is not drawn to scale.
Read the references.
Credited anatomical plates, microscopy and university teaching references. Individual image credits appear below the viewer. Historical plates can use older terminology; use the lesson text for current names.