Scientists accidentally discover new organ in human throat

Team Udayavani, Oct 22, 2020, 6:01 PM IST

While studying prostate cancer and examining a new combination of CT and PET scans, researchers at the Netherlands Cancer Institute discovered a new set of salivary glands, about 3.81 cm in length, in human throat.

The new glands, named tubarial salivary glands, are believed to lubricate and moisten the area of the throat behind the nose and mouth.

Salivary glands are what produce the saliva essential for our digestive system to function, with the bulk of the fluid produced by the three major salivary glands, known as the parotid, submandibular, and sublingual glands

According to Science Alert, The new discovery made by Vogel’s team is much larger, showing what appears to be a previously overlooked pair of glands, ostensibly the fourth set of major salivary glands, located behind the nose and above the palate, close to the centre of the human head.