Emerging Trends in Salivary Gland Regeneration

Saliva is critical for sustaining oral health. Patients with salivary gland hypofunction (symptomatically, xerostomia) have difficulties in basic oral functions such as chewing, tasting, and swallowing foods. Additionally, they suffer from caries, periodontal disease, and a variety of microbial infections. Glandular dysfunction has been significantly improved through the use of gene therapies and secretagogues, thereby mitigating dry mouth symptoms. However, scientific advancements in the area of clinically applied implants are needed to fully restore compromised salivary gland function. In this book chapter, we will evaluate the advantages and limitations of commonly used salivary cell lines. Furthermore, we will summarize ongoing studies on current salivary cell isolation methods and cell culture techniques using different biomaterials. Then, we will describe the use of stem, progenitor, and acinar cells together with cell sheets as promising candidates for salivary gland regeneration studies. Finally, we will highlight the use of scaffolds for growing salivary glands both in vitro and in vivo. Together, these studies represent the state-of-the-art and trends in the emerging field of salivary gland regeneration.