A quantitative study on growth and cell population identification in murine salivary gland culture

Differentiation of neonatal salivary gland cell populations was studied in vitro using primary explant cultures. Growth on glass of the submandibular, sublingual and parotid salivary glands was optimal if the initial explant diameter was less than 0.4 mm and culture was in 199 medium plus 20 per cent newborn-calf serum. Growth was measured by planimetry of the area of cellular outgrowth as a monolayer with continuous cell contacts. Duct epithelial cells identified using ultrastructural, histochemical and immunological criteria, produced evidence of altered morphology by in-vitro conditions. Preservation of enzymic and antigenic markers of ductal epithelial cell origin in vitro irrespective of gross cell morphology allowed quantification of these cells in a mixed cell population.