Three-dimensional (3D) spheroid cultures are crucial for modeling salivary gland (SG) morphogenesis and advancing regenerative medicine.This study evaluated the effects of varying ratios of mouse SG-derived epithelial cells co-cultured with human dermal fibroblasts (hDFs), identifying a 2:1 ratio (spheroids containing 67% EpCAMpos cells with 33% hDFs) as optimal for preserving native SG-derived Arthritis Gloves epithelial cell phenotypes.At this ratio, 67% EpCAMpos spheroids maintained structural integrity and demonstrated a significant reduction in apoptosis and senescence markers, specifically, cleaved caspase-3 (Cc3) and Serpine1, alongside an enhanced expression of the progenitor marker Keratin 5 (KRT5).This highlights the pivotal role of fibroblasts in supporting epithelial cell function in 3D cultures.These spheroids provide a useful model for developing SG tissues that closely mimic physiological properties.
Despite promising results, Install these findings are preliminary and require further validation under diverse conditions and across different SG models.