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Isolation of Mouse Salivary Gland Stem Cells
Published on: February 8, 2011
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c-Kit+ Cells in Adult Salivary Glands do not Function as Tissue Stem Cells
Mingyu Kwak1, Ninche Ninche1, Sabine Klein2
1Department of Oral Biology & Pathology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA.
Scientific Reports
|September 23, 2018
Summary
c-Kit is not a reliable marker for salivary gland stem cells. These cells, previously thought to be stem cells, are mostly differentiated and have limited proliferative capacity in vivo, impacting regenerative therapies.
Area of Science:
- Regenerative Medicine
- Stem Cell Biology
- Salivary Gland Biology
Background:
- Salivary gland stem cells are crucial for salivary function restoration.
- c-Kit immunoreactivity was previously considered a marker for salivary gland stem cells due to ex vivo proliferation and differentiation.
- The in vivo location and function of c-Kit+ cells remained unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the in vivo location and function of c-Kit+ cells in adult mouse salivary glands.
- To investigate whether c-Kit marks true salivary gland stem cells.
- To clarify the role of c-Kit+ cells in salivary gland maintenance and regeneration.
Main Methods:
- Immunostaining for c-Kit.
- c-KitCreERT2-based genetic labeling and lineage tracing in adult mice.
- In vivo and ex vivo (spheroid culture) fate tracking of labeled cells.
- Analysis of cytokeratin K14 expression in ductal cells.
Main Results:
- c-Kit is expressed in a large, heterogeneous population, predominantly differentiated cells, not stem cells.
- c-Kit does not mark ductal stem cells expressing cytokeratin K14.
- c-Kit+ cells show limited proliferative potential in spheroid cultures, unlike K14+ cells.
- In vivo lineage tracing revealed c-Kit+ cells do not contribute to the maintenance of other salivary gland lineages.
Conclusions:
- c-Kit is not a reliable marker for identifying salivary gland stem cells.
- Cytokeratin K14 marks cells with greater stem-like potential in salivary glands.
- These findings necessitate a re-evaluation of strategies for salivary gland regenerative therapies.
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