Biomaterials used in regeneration of salivary gland in three-dimensional culture system -a systematic review

Salivary gland dysfunction is caused by various pathological conditions including radiation therapy. Regeneration of the salivary gland components will pave a new path in restoring its function. This systematic review aims to illustrate the various bio-materials used as a scaffold in the 3-dimensional regeneration of the salivary gland. Electronic databases like PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were used as search engines to search for articles related to various biomaterials used in the three-dimensional regeneration of salivary glands. Only original, full-length articles published in the English language were included for the review. Totally 17 articles were chosen among which 15 articles were based on in vitro studies and the remaining 2 were based on in vivo studies. Biomaterials like hyaluronic acid-based, fibrin, Polyethylene glycol, Decellularized extracellular matrix hydro-gels, egg white-based scaffolds, and silk fibroin scaffolds have been tried. In 52.9% of the studies, Acinar components were formed along with the duct formation in 52.9% of the studies followed by the formation of the myoepithelial component in 29.4% of the studies with neuronal innervation only in 5.88% of the studies. Hyaluronic acid-based hydrogel scaffold proved to be a promising biomaterial that produced functional salivary glands in in-vitro conditions. However, more detailed studies under in-vivo conditions in the animal model could pave a new path for regularly using these bio-materials for regeneration methods. [Display omitted] •For efficient functional regeneration of the salivary gland, the use of a 3D scaffold with tunable bio-mechanical characteristic is essential.•Hyaluronic-based hydrogel scaffold proved to be a promising biomaterial that produced functional salivary glands under in-vitro conditions.•The available biomaterials can be enhanced further to obtain all the salivary gland components with vascular and neuronal innervation.•Detailed in-vivo studies could pave a new path for using these bio-materials clinically for regeneration methods.