Fully Functional Salivary Gland Regeneration as a Next-Generation Regenerative Therapy

Nine years ago, this study focused on the issue of salivary gland dysfunction, which leads to a decrease in saliva secretion and causes conditions like dry mouth, cavities, infections, and swallowing disorders. The researchers noted an increase in dry mouth patients due to autoimmune diseases and an aging society. While symptomatic treatments were the norm, there was a growing need for a fundamental cure. The researchers began to explore regenerative medicine approaches for tissue repair and saliva secretion function recovery, including stem cell transplantation and gene therapy. They developed a method to regenerate organ primordia, which form during the fetal period, using epithelial stem cells and mesenchymal stem cells. By transplanting these regenerated organ primordia into the body, they demonstrated the possibility of functional regeneration of a wide range of organs, including teeth, hair, salivary glands, and tear glands.