November 16, 2025 • 9 mins
Researchers at McGill University have developed a novel method for growing miniature salivary gland structures in a 3D gel, offering a potential future treatment for chronic dry mouth (xerostomia), which is often caused by radiation therapy or autoimmune diseases. By using hyaluronic acid-containing hydrogels, they successfully cultivated functional ‘mini-glands’ that mimic the behavior of natural salivary tissues, opening doors for potential therapies and disease modeling.
Read the full article at https://www.paperleap.com/blog/articles/lab-grown-salivary-glands-offer-hope-for-dry-mouth-0cccue
Read the full article at https://www.paperleap.com/blog/articles/lab-grown-salivary-glands-offer-hope-for-dry-mouth-0cccue
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to the paper Leap podcast, where a science takes
the mic. Each episode, we discuss cutting edge research, groundbreaking discoveries,
and the incredible people behind them, across disciplines and across
the world. Whether you're a curious mind, a researcher, or
just love learning, you're in the right place before we start.
(00:21):
Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an insight.
All the content is also available on paperleap dot com. Okay, ready,
let's start. If you've ever had a dry mouth after
a long run, during a stressful presentation, or because of
certain medications, you know how uncomfortable it can be. Now
(00:44):
imagine living with that sensation permanently. That's the reality from
millions of people worldwide who suffer from zerostomia or chronic
dry mouth. This condition often strikes patients who undergo radiation
therapy for headed neck cancers, as well as those with
autoimmune diseases like chogrin syndrome. It happens because the body's
(01:07):
salivary glands, which produce the fluid that keeps our mouths
moist and healthy, become damaged and stop functioning properly. Unfortunately,
once these glands are destroyed. There's currently no permanent cure,
but a team of researchers at McGill University in Montreal
believes they may be on the trail of a solution,
(01:29):
and it comes in the form of tiny lab grown
miniglands cultivated in three D. Saliva is so much more
than water. It's a complex cocktail of enzymes, proteins, and
electrolytes that does everything from helping us chew and swallow
to protecting teeth from decay and washing away harmful bacteria.
(01:51):
The star players in this process are specialized cells in
the glands called acin our cells, which are essentially nature's
fluid factors. The problem is that acin ourselves are extremely fragile,
They don't divide and replenish themselves easily, and once they're gone,
they're nearly impossible to replace. Scientists have long dreams of
(02:14):
creating lab grown salivary tissues that could be transplanted into patients,
but keeping ac in ourselves alive and functional outside the
body has proven to be one of biomedical sciences tougher challenges.
That's where the McGill team, featuring researchers in dental medicine,
oral health sciences, bioengineering and material science comes in. They
(02:40):
try to answer the question what if we could grow
ac in ourselves in an environment that mimics their natural
home inside the body. To test this, the researchers that
is jose G. Mungia, Lopez Sengith Palai, Yuli zeng Amatia Gants,
(03:00):
Demetria b. Commasau, Shoon N. Nazat and Joseph M. Kinsella
turned to hydrogels. These are water rich materials that feel
a bit like soft jello and their widely use in
biomedical research because they can mimic the squishy, supportive environment
(03:20):
cells normally live in. The team compared three different types
of reversible three D hydrogels, alginate gelatin AG, alginate gelatin
with collagen AGC, and alginate gelatin with hyaluronic acid AGHA.
All of them were designed to imitate the texture and
(03:42):
flexibility of real human salivary tissue. When the researchers placed
human salivary actin our cells into these gels, something remarkable happened.
The cells began to self assemble into tiny spherical clusters
known as spheroids. Think of them as miniature versions of
(04:03):
the glands working units, but not all gels worked equally well.
The superstar was the AGHA hydrogel, the one containing hyaluronic acid,
a molecule you might recognize from skin care products where
it helps retain moisture. In the lab, the AGHA created
(04:24):
the most lifelike results. In fact, the spheroids grew larger
than one hundred cells each more than ninety three percent
of the cells stayed alive and healthy after two weeks.
They continue to produce key selivary proteins such as acoporn five,
a water channel, NKKC one, an ion transporter Z one,
(04:47):
a junction protein, and alpha amylase, the enzyme that starts
digesting starch. Even more impressively, the spheroids responded to stimulation
by releasing n enzyme packed granules, which just like real
glands do when you taste food. In other words, the
cells were actually acting like real salivary glands. One might
(05:11):
ask why did the AGHA hydrogel work so much better
than the others. The answer lies in the fact that
biology loves the familiar. Acinar cells naturally carry receptors called
C forty four that recognize and bind to hyaluronic acid.
By adding this molecule to the hydrogel, the researchers gave
(05:35):
the cells a signal that said you're home. It's safe
to grow and organize. This subtle nudge was enough to
help the cells behave more like they do inside the body,
forming tight functional clusters instead of losing their identity. At first,
the experiments were done using an immortalized cell line, basically
(05:57):
a population of achin our cells adapted for long term
growth in labs, but the team also tested their system
with primary human salivary cells, real cells taken directly from
donated tissue. Again, the AGHA hydrogel supported the growth of
functional salivary functional units that looked and acted strikingly like
(06:20):
natural gland structures. This is a crucial step because while
immortalized cell lines are useful for proof of concept work,
it's the primary cells that matter most when it comes
to developing therapies for patients. For patients with chronic dry mouth,
the current options are frustratingly limited. Doctors can prescribe drugs
(06:41):
that stimulate whatever act in our cells remain, but these
only help temporarily. Others rely on pollative measures like special
rinses or saliva substitutes, which ease symptoms but don't restore
the gland's actual function. What this new work offers is
something different, a platform that could eventually be used to
(07:03):
grow replacement salivary tissues in the lab. The uses are many.
For instance, a cancer survivor whose salivary glands were damaged
by radiation could receive a transplant of lab grown functional
gland tissue. Also, researchers could use these spheroids as disease models,
testing new drugs for conditions like SOLDIERN syndrome in a
(07:25):
realistic setting without needing to experiment directly on patients. Furthermore,
dentists and doctors could have better tools to study how
oral health links to digestion, immunity, and even mental well
being areas where saliva plays a surprisingly big role. Of course,
these lab grown spheroids are promising, but there's still a
(07:48):
long way from being fully functional glands with ducks, blood
vessels and connections to nerves. Future research will need to
incorporate more cell types and build complex integrated tissue systems.
But what makes this study exciting is that it shows
a low cost, reproducible and reversible method for growing these spheroids.
(08:12):
Because the hydrogels can be dissolved quickly without damaging the cells,
researchers can easily retrieve intact, viable spheroids for further study
or even transplantation. Research science often progresses in small, steady
steps rather than dramatic leaps. Growing tiny salivary gland spheroid
(08:33):
in a gel may not sound as flashy as designing
a rocket or curing a major disease, but for the
millions of people whose daily lives are shaped by the
constant discomfort of dry mouth, this quiet achievement could one
day mean the return of something we all take for granted,
the simple relief of saliva, and that, as it turns out,
(08:56):
is a very big deal. That's it for this episode
of the paper Leaf podcast. If you found it thought provoking, fascinating,
or just informative, share it with the fellow science nerd.
For more research highlights and full articles, visit paperleaf dot com.
Also make sure to subscribe to the podcast. We've got
(09:18):
plenty more discoveries to unpack. Until next time, Keep questioning,
keep learning,
Welcome to the paper Leap podcast, where a science takes
the mic. Each episode, we discuss cutting edge research, groundbreaking discoveries,
and the incredible people behind them, across disciplines and across
the world. Whether you're a curious mind, a researcher, or
just love learning, you're in the right place before we start.
(00:21):
Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an insight.
All the content is also available on paperleap dot com. Okay, ready,
let's start. If you've ever had a dry mouth after
a long run, during a stressful presentation, or because of
certain medications, you know how uncomfortable it can be. Now
(00:44):
imagine living with that sensation permanently. That's the reality from
millions of people worldwide who suffer from zerostomia or chronic
dry mouth. This condition often strikes patients who undergo radiation
therapy for headed neck cancers, as well as those with
autoimmune diseases like chogrin syndrome. It happens because the body's
(01:07):
salivary glands, which produce the fluid that keeps our mouths
moist and healthy, become damaged and stop functioning properly. Unfortunately,
once these glands are destroyed. There's currently no permanent cure,
but a team of researchers at McGill University in Montreal
believes they may be on the trail of a solution,
(01:29):
and it comes in the form of tiny lab grown
miniglands cultivated in three D. Saliva is so much more
than water. It's a complex cocktail of enzymes, proteins, and
electrolytes that does everything from helping us chew and swallow
to protecting teeth from decay and washing away harmful bacteria.
(01:51):
The star players in this process are specialized cells in
the glands called acin our cells, which are essentially nature's
fluid factors. The problem is that acin ourselves are extremely fragile,
They don't divide and replenish themselves easily, and once they're gone,
they're nearly impossible to replace. Scientists have long dreams of
(02:14):
creating lab grown salivary tissues that could be transplanted into patients,
but keeping ac in ourselves alive and functional outside the
body has proven to be one of biomedical sciences tougher challenges.
That's where the McGill team, featuring researchers in dental medicine,
oral health sciences, bioengineering and material science comes in. They
(02:40):
try to answer the question what if we could grow
ac in ourselves in an environment that mimics their natural
home inside the body. To test this, the researchers that
is jose G. Mungia, Lopez Sengith Palai, Yuli zeng Amatia Gants,
(03:00):
Demetria b. Commasau, Shoon N. Nazat and Joseph M. Kinsella
turned to hydrogels. These are water rich materials that feel
a bit like soft jello and their widely use in
biomedical research because they can mimic the squishy, supportive environment
(03:20):
cells normally live in. The team compared three different types
of reversible three D hydrogels, alginate gelatin AG, alginate gelatin
with collagen AGC, and alginate gelatin with hyaluronic acid AGHA.
All of them were designed to imitate the texture and
(03:42):
flexibility of real human salivary tissue. When the researchers placed
human salivary actin our cells into these gels, something remarkable happened.
The cells began to self assemble into tiny spherical clusters
known as spheroids. Think of them as miniature versions of
(04:03):
the glands working units, but not all gels worked equally well.
The superstar was the AGHA hydrogel, the one containing hyaluronic acid,
a molecule you might recognize from skin care products where
it helps retain moisture. In the lab, the AGHA created
(04:24):
the most lifelike results. In fact, the spheroids grew larger
than one hundred cells each more than ninety three percent
of the cells stayed alive and healthy after two weeks.
They continue to produce key selivary proteins such as acoporn five,
a water channel, NKKC one, an ion transporter Z one,
(04:47):
a junction protein, and alpha amylase, the enzyme that starts
digesting starch. Even more impressively, the spheroids responded to stimulation
by releasing n enzyme packed granules, which just like real
glands do when you taste food. In other words, the
cells were actually acting like real salivary glands. One might
(05:11):
ask why did the AGHA hydrogel work so much better
than the others. The answer lies in the fact that
biology loves the familiar. Acinar cells naturally carry receptors called
C forty four that recognize and bind to hyaluronic acid.
By adding this molecule to the hydrogel, the researchers gave
(05:35):
the cells a signal that said you're home. It's safe
to grow and organize. This subtle nudge was enough to
help the cells behave more like they do inside the body,
forming tight functional clusters instead of losing their identity. At first,
the experiments were done using an immortalized cell line, basically
(05:57):
a population of achin our cells adapted for long term
growth in labs, but the team also tested their system
with primary human salivary cells, real cells taken directly from
donated tissue. Again, the AGHA hydrogel supported the growth of
functional salivary functional units that looked and acted strikingly like
(06:20):
natural gland structures. This is a crucial step because while
immortalized cell lines are useful for proof of concept work,
it's the primary cells that matter most when it comes
to developing therapies for patients. For patients with chronic dry mouth,
the current options are frustratingly limited. Doctors can prescribe drugs
(06:41):
that stimulate whatever act in our cells remain, but these
only help temporarily. Others rely on pollative measures like special
rinses or saliva substitutes, which ease symptoms but don't restore
the gland's actual function. What this new work offers is
something different, a platform that could eventually be used to
(07:03):
grow replacement salivary tissues in the lab. The uses are many.
For instance, a cancer survivor whose salivary glands were damaged
by radiation could receive a transplant of lab grown functional
gland tissue. Also, researchers could use these spheroids as disease models,
testing new drugs for conditions like SOLDIERN syndrome in a
(07:25):
realistic setting without needing to experiment directly on patients. Furthermore,
dentists and doctors could have better tools to study how
oral health links to digestion, immunity, and even mental well
being areas where saliva plays a surprisingly big role. Of course,
these lab grown spheroids are promising, but there's still a
(07:48):
long way from being fully functional glands with ducks, blood
vessels and connections to nerves. Future research will need to
incorporate more cell types and build complex integrated tissue systems.
But what makes this study exciting is that it shows
a low cost, reproducible and reversible method for growing these spheroids.
(08:12):
Because the hydrogels can be dissolved quickly without damaging the cells,
researchers can easily retrieve intact, viable spheroids for further study
or even transplantation. Research science often progresses in small, steady
steps rather than dramatic leaps. Growing tiny salivary gland spheroid
(08:33):
in a gel may not sound as flashy as designing
a rocket or curing a major disease, but for the
millions of people whose daily lives are shaped by the
constant discomfort of dry mouth, this quiet achievement could one
day mean the return of something we all take for granted,
the simple relief of saliva, and that, as it turns out,
(08:56):
is a very big deal. That's it for this episode
of the paper Leaf podcast. If you found it thought provoking, fascinating,
or just informative, share it with the fellow science nerd.
For more research highlights and full articles, visit paperleaf dot com.
Also make sure to subscribe to the podcast. We've got
(09:18):
plenty more discoveries to unpack. Until next time, Keep questioning,
keep learning,
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