Salivary gland cells are viable encapsulated within hydrogels: A dissociated cell prep
prepared from whole submandibular gland was seeded into PEG hydrogels and incubated in serum-free media.
This project deals with potential utility of adult stem or progenitor cells for repair of radiation-damaged salivary
glands. While the potential is high, it is currently only a theoretical solution for patients suffering from
xerostomia. There remain several critical obstacles that must be resolved before cell-based therapy for
dysfunctional salivary glands can be moved into the clinical arena. These include the identification of appropriate
donor cells, the technology for promoting implantation, and direct functional assays to assess the outcomes.