Soft Palate

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Introduction

The soft palate (velum palatine) is located caudally to the hard palate. It is comprised of muscle and is involved in tasting food and in deglutition.

Structure and Function

• Muscle

• Contacts epiglottis caudally

• Very folded mucosa

• Striated palatine muscle

Histology

Soft Palate (Mouse) - Copyright RVC 2008

• Respiratory mucosa - ciliated pseudostratified columnar epithelium on aboral surface

• Stratified squamous epithelium on oral surface

• Palatine salivary glands

Musculature and Innervation

• Sensation and taste from glossopharyngeal (CN IX)

• Palatine muscle

   -Origin: hard palate transeverse ridges
   -Insertion: soft palate
   -Shortens palate
   -Major innervation from vagus nerve (CN X) and minor from glossopgaryngeal nerve (CN IX) 

• Tensor velli palatini

   -Origin: near tympanic bulla on temporal bone
   -Insertion: lateral aponeurosis
   -Pharyngeal arch 1
   -Mandibular of trigeminal (CN V3) 
   -Tenses soft palate

• Levator velli palatini

   -Origin: near tympanic bulla on temporal bone
   -Insertion: lateral aponeurosis
   -Raises soft palate
   -Major innervation from vagus nerve (CN X) and minor from glossopgaryngeal nerve (CN IX) 

• Palatopharyngeus

   -closes palatopharyngeal arch and therefore lift soft palate
   -Major innervation from vagus nerve (CN X) and minor from glossopgaryngeal nerve (CN IX)

Species Differences

Porcine

• Soft palate does not contact the epiglottis in the pig as the porcine soft palate is raised higher in the oral cavity than in other species

Equine

• Horses have a tight laryngeal cuff around the laryngeal entrance therefore cannot lift their soft palate for long periods of time and thus are nasal breathers

Canine

• As brachiocephalic dog breeds have a shortened skull length, the soft palate often obstruct air flow into the larynx causing breathing difficulties

Avian

• Birds lack a soft palate