Re-engineering the functions of a terminally differentiated epithelial cell in vivo

Because of their easy access, and important role in oral homeostasis, mammalian salivary glands provide a unique site for addressing key issues and problems in tissue engineering. This manuscript reviews studies by us in three major directions involving re-engineering functions of salivary epithelial cells. Using adenoviral-mediated gene transfer in vivo, we show approaches to i) repair damaged, hypofunctional glands and ii) redesign secretory functions to include endocrine as well as exocrine pathways. The third series of studies show our general approach to develop an artificial salivary gland for clinical situations in which all glandular tissue has been lost.