Growth of parotid gland cells on the modified biomaterials

The parenchyma of salivary glands may be irreversibly damaged following therapeutic irradiation for head and neck cancers or in association with the autoimmune reaction in Sjögren's syndrome. The damage of salivary glands leads to a severe salivary hypofunction with marked reductions in salivary output. A new therapeutic strategy for such patients is to develop an artificial fluid-secreting device by the technology of tissue engineering, which able to be implanted in oral submucosal tissue to secret saliva. Objectives:To study the growth and function of parotid cells of miniature pig primarily cultured on the biomaterial films and porous tubular scaffold. Methods: The parotid tissue was sterilely excised from the parotid gland of miniature pig and digested by the collagenase. Then the cells were seeded on the modified PDLLA , PEG/PBT films and PEG/PBT porous tubular scaffold and incubated at 37°ãC with 95% air and 5% CO2. The morphology of the cultured cell was observed under light and electronic microscope. The growth curve was drawn by MTT assay. The amylase in the media was detected. Results: The cultured cells formed a polarized monolayer structure on both films and tubular scaffold, as well as maintained the features of the differentiation of glandular epithelium. The cells actively proliferated and continued to secret amylase. Conclusion: The parotid cells of miniature pig can be grown in modified biomaterials in vitro and the cultured cells have function. Supported by National Natural Scientific Foundation of China.30170254.