Int. J. Mol. Sci., 2023 · DOI: 10.3390/ijms241813692 · Published: September 5, 2023
The study investigates the origin of salivary and lacrimal glands, which are exocrine glands in the head and neck. It uses transgenic TRiCK mice, which express fluorescent proteins under the control of genes that mark the neuroectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm. The research demonstrates that these glands contain cells derived from all three germ layers. A subset of cells expressing Sox1, a marker for neuroectoderm, differentiated into epithelial cells, suggesting they are derived from neural crest cells. These cells also expressed stem cell markers and were prominent in tissue injury models, indicating their role in regenerative processes after tissue damage. The findings clarify the germinal origin of exocrine glands and highlight the contribution of neural crest-derived cells within the glandular epithelium to the regenerative response following tissue damage.
The study provides a deeper understanding of the complex developmental origins of salivary and lacrimal glands, revealing contributions from all three germ layers and neural crest cells.
The identification of neural crest-derived cells in tissue repair suggests a potential source for regenerative medicine approaches aimed at functional reconstruction of salivary and lacrimal glands.
The findings could contribute to improved treatments for gland-related diseases and injuries, such as Sjögren's syndrome and salivary gland dysfunction.