MSCs feeder layers induce SMG self-organization and branching morphogenesis

Dysfunction of salivary glands leads to several oral health problems, including dental caries, mastication and swallowing dysfunctions and multiple oral infections. Conventional treatments for such condition fell short of providing satisfying therapeutic results. Recent advances in organ regeneration therapy which utilize tissue stem cells to fabricate bioengineered 3D organ buds, have introduced a promising therapeutic tool for full functional organ regeneration. However, finding a sustainable and easily accessible cell source for such approaches is still challenging, especially in case of severely atrophied tissues such as irradiated salivary glands. In response to this, we hypothesized that bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) could be used as feeder cells to induce salivary epithelial tissues/cells branching. Indeed, in 2D cultures, MSCs supported branching of embryonic submandibular salivary gland (SMG) epithelium. Interestingly, this enhancing effect was dependent on the initial number of MSC feeder cells. In addition, MSCs supported the self-assembly of SMG epithelial progenitor cells into well-patterned and branched 3D salivary organoids. Therefore, these findings propose MSCs as a valuable candidate cell source for induced SMG epithelial branching, which can potentially be applied in future methods for SMG regeneration approaches.