Reviews
SEROUS DEMILUNES OF GIANNUZZI AND MORPHOFUNCTIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MAJOR SALIVARY GLANDS
Published
2026-09-30
Authors:
VH
OT
AP
YT
IF
MH
OS
- Abstract:
-
The salivary glands are key exocrine organs that maintain oral homeostasis, facilitate primary digestion, and provide immune defense. This review article summarizes historical and contemporary data on the morphology of the major salivary glands in humans and rodents, including the parotid, submandibular, and sublingual glands. Particular attention is focused on the serous demilunes of Giannuzzi, their morphological organization, cellular specialization, and secretory function. The study analyzes species-specific differences in the acini and ductal system, as well as the mechanisms of secretion for enzymes, mucins, and growth factors. The significance of historical research methods for the modern understanding of the morphofunctional organization of the glands and their clinical relevance is discussed.
- Keywords:
-
salivary glands serous demilunes of Giannuzzi acini ductal system parotid gland submandibular gland sublingual gland
- References:
-
- Anna Z, Joanna K, Sara Z, Jan M, Paula KS, Izabela S, et al. N-acetylcysteine supplementation did not reverse mitochondrial oxidative stress, apoptosis, and inflammation in the salivary glands of hyperglycemic rats. Nutr Diabetes. 2021 Nov 9;11(1):35. doi: 10.1038/s41387-021-00177-w
- Bakr M, Shamel M, Abdelwahed S, Al Ankily M. A Rat Experimental Model for Investigation of the Effect of Diabetes on Submandibular Salivary Glands Treated with Epidermal Growth Factor. Dentistry. 2022;119. Available from: https://buescholar.bue.edu.eg/dentistry/119
- Bannier-Hélaouët M, Post Y, Korving J, Trani Bustos M, Gehart H, Begthel H, Bar-Ephraim YE, van der Vaart J, Kalmann R, Imhoff SM, Clevers H. Exploring the human lacrimal gland using organoids and single-cell sequencing. Cell Stem Cell. 2021 Jul 1;28(7):1221-1232.e7. doi: 10.1016/j.stem.2021.02.024.
- Chansaenroj A, Yodmuang S, Ferreira JN. Trends in Salivary Gland Tissue Engineering: From Stem Cells to Secretome and Organoid Bioprinting. Tissue Eng Part B Rev. 2021 Apr;27(2):155-165. doi: 10.1089/ten.TEB.2020.0149.
- Chibly AM, Aure MH, Patel VN, Hoffman MP. Salivary gland function, development, and regeneration. Physiol Rev. 2022 Jul 1;102(3):1495-1552. doi: 10.1152/physrev.00015.2021
- Dos Santos HT, Nam K, Maslow F, Trump B, Baker OJ. Specialized pro-resolving receptors are expressed in salivary glands with Sjögren's syndrome. Ann Diagn Pathol. 2022 Feb;56:151865. doi: 10.1016/j.anndiagpath.2021.151865
- Gao X, Mukaibo T, Wei X, Faustoferri RC, Oei MS, Hwang SK, et al. Nkx2.3 transcription factor is a key regulator of mucous cell identity in salivary glands. Dev Biol. 2024 May;509:1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2024.01.012.
- Ghannam MG, Singh P. Anatomy, Head and Neck, Salivary Glands [Internet]. [Updated 2023 May 29]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2026 Jan. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538325/
- Harrison JD. Salivary Gland Histology [Internet]. In: Witt RL, editor. Surgery of the Salivary Glands. 1st ed. Philadelphia (PA): Elsevier; 2021 [cited 2026 Sep 26]. Chapter 5; p. 37-42. Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/ B9780323672368000055
- Hu L, Du C, Yang Z. Transient activation of hedgehog signaling inhibits cellular senescence and inflammation in radiated swine salivary glands through preserving resident macrophages. Int J Mol Sci. 2021; 22:13493. doi: 10.3390/ijms222413493
- Нim D, Yoon YJ, Choi D, Kim J, Lim JY. 3D organoid culture from adult salivary gland tissues as an ex vivo modeling of salivary gland morphogenesis. Front Cell Dev Biol. 2021;9:698292. doi: 10.3389/fcell.2021.698292.
- Jeon SG, Lee J, Lee SJ. Salivary gland organoid transplantation as a therapeutic option for radiation-induced xerostomia. Stem Cell Res Ther. 2024; 15:265. doi: 10.1186/s13287-024-03833-x
- Khoury ZH, Sultan AS. Prosthodontic implications of saliva and salivary gland dysfunction. J Prosthodont. 2023 Dec;32(9):766-775. doi: 10.1111/jopr.13725.
- Klangprapan J, Souza GR, Ferreira JN. Bioprinting salivary gland models and their regenerative applications. BDJ Open. 2024; 10:39. doi: 10.1038/s41405-024-00219-2
- Li SS, Wu CZ, Zhang BW, Qiu L, Chen W, Yuan YH, et al. Nerve growth factor protects salivary glands from irradiation-induced damage. Life Sci. 2021; 265:118748. doi: 10.1016/j.lfs.2020.118748
- Li Z, Zhu H, Zou Y. Applied anatomy and morphology of minor salivary glands in commonly used experimental animals. Sci Rep. 2025; 15:20016. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-04516-0
- Proctor GB, Shaalan AM. Disease-induced changes in salivary gland function and the composition of saliva. J Dent Res. 2021; 100:1201–1209. doi: 10.1177/00220345211004842
- Rocchi C, Barazzuol L, Coppes RP. The evolving definition of salivary gland stem cells. NPJ Regen Med. 2021 Feb 1;6(1):4. doi: 10.1038/s41536-020-00115-x.
- Serrano Martinez P, Cinat D, van Luijk P, Baanstra M, de Haan G, Pringle S, et al. Mouse parotid salivary gland organoids for the in vitro study of stem cell radiation response. Oral Dis. 2021 Jan;27(1):52-63. doi: 10.1111/odi.13475.
- Shang YF, Shen YY, Zhang MC. Progress in salivary glands: endocrine glands with immune functions. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2023; 14:1061235. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1061235
- Smith JR, Bolton ER, Dwinell MR. The Rat: A Model Used in Biomedical Research. Methods Mol Biol. 2019;2018:1-41. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4939-9581-3_1.
- Song Y, Uchida H, Sharipol A, Piraino L, Mereness JA, Ingalls MH, et al. Development of a functional salivary gland tissue chip with potential for high-content drug screening. Commun Biol. 2021 Mar 19;4(1):361. doi: 10.1038/s42003-021-01876-x. Erratum in: Commun Biol. 2021 Apr 30;4(1):533. doi: 10.1038/s42003-021-02103-3. Erratum in: Commun Biol. 2022 Mar 30;5(1):315. doi: 10.1038/s42003-022-03274-3.
- Souza-Monteiro D, Guerra MCDS, Bittencourt LO, Aragão WAB, Dionizio A, Silveira FM, et al. Salivary Glands after Prolonged Aluminum Exposure: Proteomic Approach Underlying Biochemical and Morphological Impairments in Rats. Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Feb 18;23(4):2251. doi: 10.3390/ijms23042251.
- Suzuki A, Ogata K, Iwata J. Cell signaling regulation in salivary gland development. Cell Mol Life Sci. 2021 Apr;78(7):3299-3315. Available from: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00018-020-03741-2
- Tanaka J, Senpuku H, Ogawa M, Yasuhara R, Ohnuma S, Takamatsu K, et al. Human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived salivary gland organoids model SARS-CoV-2 infection and replication. Nat Cell Biol. 2022 Nov;24(11):1595-1605. doi: 10.1038/s41556-022-01007-6.
- Tanaka J, Takamatsu K, Yukimori A, Kujiraoka S, Ishida S, Takakura I, et al. Sox9 function in salivary gland development. J Oral Biosci. 2021 Mar;63(1):8-13. doi: 10.1016/j.job.2021.01.005.
- Vanelli L, Florezi GP, Massoco C, Lourenço SV. Structural and functional comparative analysis of porcine and human salivary glands: a narrative review for translational research. J Mol Histol. 2026 Jan 17;57(1):52. doi: 10.1007/s10735-025-10678-y.
- Wang B, Mu YB, Zang GX. [Development and future promise of salivary gland organoids and salivary gland tumor organoids]. Zhonghua Kou Qiang Yi Xue Za Zhi. 2022 May 9;57(5):535-539. doi: 10.3760/cma.j.cn112144-20220105-00003.
- Watanabe T, Kometani-Gunjigake K, Nakao-Kuroishi K, Ito-Sago M, Mizuhara M, Iwata D, et al. A Ser252Trp substitution in mouse FGFR2 results in hyperplasia of embryonic salivary gland parenchyma. J Oral Biosci. 2021 Jun;63(2):184-191. doi: 10.1016/j.job.2021.02.008.
- Yoon YJ, Kim D, Tak KY. Salivary gland organoid culture maintains distinct glandular properties of murine and human major salivary glands. Nat Commun. 2022; 13: 3291. doi: 10.1038/s41467-022-30934-z
- Publication:
-
«World of Medicine and Biology»
Vol. 22 No. 97 (2026), pp. 224-230
UDC 616.316.1-092-071
How to Cite
1.
Hryn V, Tikhonova O, Piliuhin A, Tarasenko Y, Fedorchenko I, Hryn M, et al. SEROUS DEMILUNES OF GIANNUZZI AND MORPHOFUNCTIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MAJOR SALIVARY GLANDS. СМБ [Internet]. 2026 Sep. 30 [cited 2026 Oct. 7];22(97):224-30. Available from: https://womab.com.ua/article/view/4209
Share

English
Ukrainian