Von Ebner's glands, also called Ebner's glands or gustatory glands, are exocrine glands found in the mouth. More specifically, they are seroussalivary glands which reside adjacent to the moats surrounding the circumvallate and foliate papillae just anterior to the posterior third of the tongue in its submucosa, anterior to the terminal sulcus.
Von Ebner's glands secrete lingual lipase,[1] beginning the process of lipidhydrolysis in the mouth. These glands empty their serous secretion into the base of the moats around the foliate and circumvallate papillae. This secretion presumably flushes material from the mouth to enable the taste buds to respond rapidly to changing stimuli.
Von Ebner's glands are innervated by cranial nerve IX, the glossopharyngeal nerve.
Piludu M, Lantini MS, Cossu M, Piras M, Oppenheim FG, Helmerhorst EJ, Siqueira W, Hand AR (November 2006). "Salivary histatins in human deep posterior lingual glands (of von Ebner)". Archives of Oral Biology. 51 (11): 967–73. doi:10.1016/j.archoralbio.2006.05.011. PMID16859632.