repairing saliva glands??

Anybody hear anything else about this since its inception?????


Dental Stem Cells to regrow and repair Salivary Glands..
by StemSave, Inc on Tuesday, January 25, 2011 at 11:20am ·
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By Dr. Dharmini Pathmanathan, DMD, PhD Dr. Xing Yan, has been awarded a grant from the National Natural Science Foundation of China in the field of salivary gland regeneration utilizing dental stem cells. Dr. Yan will collaborate with Dr. George Huang, a StemSave Scientific Advisor on this important research project. The purpose of the research is to study the functional regeneration of salivary glands, specifically the parotid glands damaged by radiation, using induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells reprogrammed from dental pulp stem cells. Salivary gland stem cells and iPS cells differentiated into salivary gland cells will be isolated and using animal models will be tested for their ability to regenerate a functional salivary gland. While primary salivary gland tumors are rare, surgical and radiation treatments can have adverse consequences to salivary gland function. Annually, about 40,000 individuals are affected by radiation damage to the salivary glands secondary to head and neck cancer radiation therapy. Salivary gland hypofunction significantly compromises the quality of life of those individuals through poor oral health and neglect and non-compliance of drug treatments that reduce salivary flow. Options for those who suffer from salivary hypofunction are limited and at best palliative. Therefore, studies by Drs. Huang and Yan using dental stem cells to regenerate functional salivary glands are at the scientific forefront of finding real solutions to millions affected by poor salivary function.