Three-dimensional cultures of mouse submandibular and parotid glands: a comparative study

Freshly isolated salivary cells can be plated on an extracellular matrix, such as growth factor-reduced Matrigel (GFR-MG), to induce the formation of three-dimensional (3D) structures. Cells grown on GFR-MG are able to form round structures with hollow lumina, capable of sustaining amylase expression. In contrast, cells grown on plastic do not exhibit these features. Our recent studies have used mouse parotid gland (PG) cells, grown on different extracellular matrices, as a model for acinar formation. However, PG cells were not able to respond to the secretory agonist carbachol beyond 5 days and did not sustain polarity over time, regardless of the substratum. An alternative option relies in the use of mouse submandibular glands (SMG), which are more anatomically accessible and yield a larger number of cells. We compared SMG and PG cell clusters (partially dissociated glands) for their ability to form hollow round structures, sustain amylase and maintain secretory function when grown on GFR-MG. The results were as follows: (a) SMG cell clusters formed more organized and larger structures than PG cell clusters; (b) both SMG and PG cell clusters maintained α-amylase expression over time; (c) SMG cell clusters maintained agonist-induced secretory responses over time; and (d) SMG cell clusters maintained secretory granules and cell–cell junctions. These results indicate that mouse SMG cell clusters are more amenable for the development of a bioengineered salivary gland than PG cell clusters, as they form more organized and functional structures.