Regeneration Of Submandibular Gland Research Articles

The intact parasympathetic nerve promotes submandibular gland regeneration through ductal cell proliferation.

ObjectivesSalivary gland regeneration is closely related to the parasympathetic nerve; however, the mechanism behind this relationship is still unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the parasympathetic nerve and morphological differences during salivary gland regeneration.Materials and MethodsWe used a duct ligation/deligation‐induced submandibular gland regeneration model of Sprague‐Dawley (SD) rats. The regenerated submandibular gland with or without chorda lingual (CL) innervation was detected by haematoxylin–eosin staining, real‐time PCR (RT‐PCR), immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. We counted the number of Ki67‐positive cells to reveal the proliferation process that occurs during gland regeneration. Finally, we examined the expression of the following markers: aquaporin 5, cytokeratin 7, neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) and polysialyltransferases.ResultsIntact parasympathetic innervation promoted submandibular gland regeneration. The process of gland regeneration was significantly repressed by cutting off the CL nerve. During gland regeneration, Ki67‐positive cells were mainly found in the ductal structures. Moreover, the expression of NCAM and polysialyltransferases‐1 (PST) expression in the innervation group was significantly increased during early regeneration and decreased in the late stages. In the denervated submandibular glands, the expression of NCAM decreased during regeneration.ConclusionsOur findings revealed that the regeneration of submandibular glands with intact parasympathetic innervation was associated with duct cell proliferation and the increased expression of PST and NCAM.

Immunolocalization of FGF-2, -7, -8, -10 and FGFR-1-4 during regeneration of the rat submandibular gland.

Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) and their receptors (FGFRs) play important roles in the development of the submandibular gland. Although regeneration of submandibular glands follows a similar process to their development, it is unknown how FGFs and FGFRs are distributed during regeneration of submandibular gland. The aim of this study was to determine the localization of FGFs and FGFRs during such regenerative processes. After 7days' obstruction, the submandibular glands were collected at days 0, 1, 3, 7, 11 and 14 after duct release to study regeneration. The regenerative processes of the submandibular gland were investigated by immunohistochemistry for FGF-2, 7, 8, 10 and FGFR-1-4. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that FGF-2 was moderately expressed in the epithelial cells of duct-like structures (DLS) and newly formed acinar cells (NFAC) at days 0-7, and strongly in intercalated duct (ICD) at control gland and Day 7-14. FGF-7 was localized moderately in NFAC and DLS. FGF-8 was localized moderately in the epithelial cells of DLS during regeneration. Strong positive immunoreactions for FGF-10 were found in NFAC and the epithelial cells of DLS during regeneration, as well as the ICD and lateral surfaces of the maturing acinar cells (MAC). FGFR-1 was expressed moderately in the ICD, and weakly in the NFAC and MAC. Positive immunoreactions for FGFR-2 were not observed during regeneration. Additionally, FGFR-4 was detected strongly in the ICD and slightly in NFAC. These findings suggest that FGF-2, -7, -8 and -10 play important roles in NFAC, MAC, and DLS through FGFR-1 and -4 during regeneration of submandibular gland.

Cell death and cell proliferation in the regeneration of atrophied rat submandibular glands after duct ligation.

The present study aimed to clarify the proliferation and apoptosis of parenchymal cells during regeneration of rat submandibular glands following atrophy. Atrophy of the right submandibular gland of rats was induced by excretory duct ligation at the hilum with metal clips, which were removed 1 week (day 0) after ligation. The right submandibular glands were collected from 0 to 14 days after removal of the clips and investigated using immunohistochemistry for proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) as a marker of proliferating cells, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP-digoxigenin nick end labeling (TUNEL) as a marker of apoptotic cells, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). After 1 week of ligation, there were many remaining ducts and a few acini in the atrophic glands. At day 3 after discontinuing the ligation, newly formed acini appeared and thereafter increased in number and maturity. Many residual and newly formed acinar cells showed positive reaction to PCNA especially at days 4 and 5. The PCNA-positive duct cells decreased in number with the regeneration. A few TUNEL-positive acinar and duct cells were identified during regeneration. Mitosis and apoptosis of parenchymal cells were also identified by TEM. During regeneration of the submandibular gland after atrophy, both residual and newly formed acinar cells proliferate actively. There is also apoptosis of parenchymal cells; however, the significance of apoptosis is low.

Regeneration of acini in submandibular gland autografts.

Regeneration of submandibular gland (SMG) secretory parenchyma is remarkably impaired in salivary gland diseases and under experimental conditions such as in tissue culture and after isografting. In our study acinar regeneration was found to depend on the site where the SMG tissue was implanted. Implantation of several 2-3 mm3 fragments of SMG subcutaneously in the back of the same donor adult male rat resulted in initial necrosis and mononuclear cell infiltration of the autograft. Then there was epithelial proliferation with the appearance within 28 days of lobules which contained numerous duct-like structures and only a few or no acini. In contrast, implanting SMG fragments in the anatomical bed of the donor gland resulted in the appearance of a more differentiated autograft. Although the initial tissue changes were similar to those seen in the autografts in the subcutaneous tissues of the back, the SMG autograft in the neck also contained numerous acini by 42 and 56 days after implantation. These data support the view that the implantation site influences the course of cytodifferentiation in SMG autografts.