Interactions between developing nerves and salivary glands

Our aim is to provide a summary of the field of salivary gland development and regeneration from the perspective of what is known about the function of nerves during these processes. The primary function of adult salivary glands is to produce and secrete saliva. Neuronal control of adult salivary gland function has been a focus of research ever since Pavlov’s seminal experiments on salivation in dogs. Less is known about salivary gland innervation during development and how the developing nerves influence gland organogenesis and regeneration. Here, we will review what is known about the communication between the autonomic nervous system and the epithelium of the salivary glands during organogenesis. An important emerging theme is the instructive role of the nervous system on the epithelial stem/progenitor cells during development as well as regeneration after damage. We will provide a brief overview of the neuroanatomy of the salivary glands and discuss recent literature that begins to integrate neurobiology with epithelial organogenesis, which may provide paradigms for exploring these interactions in other organ systems.     

Differentiation of liver cells from human primordial germ cell-derived progenitors

In previous studies, progenitor embryoid body-derived (EBD) cells have been derived from human embryonic germ cells. These cells express lineage markers of three primary germ layers, although their potential to produce true fetal cells of various types has yet to be tested. To this end, we have transplanted EBD cells into the fetal sheep liver. We show that these cells respond appropriately to environmental cues and give rise to hepatocytes and well-structured bile ducts. These results suggest that EBD cells are relatively uncommitted early progenitors capable of effective incorporation and differentiation in vivo. The ability to generate functional liver cells makes EBD cells potentially useful for cell therapy.     

Single-Cell Transcriptomics Uncovers Glial Progenitor Diversity and Cell Fate Determinants during Development and Gliomagenesis

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Dissecting Cell Lineage Specification and Sex Fate Determination in Gonadal Somatic Cells Using Single-Cell Transcriptomics

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In Vivo Generation of Post-infarct Human Cardiac Muscle by Laminin-Promoted Cardiovascular Progenitors

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