Salivary gland function, development, and regeneration

Abstract

Salivary glands produce and secrete saliva, which is essential for maintaining oral health and overall health. Understanding both the unique structure and physiological function of salivary glands, as well as how they are affected by disease and injury, will direct the development of therapy to repair and regenerate them. Significant recent advances, particularly in the OMICS field, increase our understanding of how salivary glands develop at the cellular, molecular, and genetic levels: the signaling pathways involved, the dynamics of progenitor cell lineages in development, homeostasis, and regeneration, and the role of the extracellular matrix microenvironment. These provide a template for cell and gene therapies as well as bioengineering approaches to repair or regenerate salivary function.