ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:Injection of isoproterenol is known to induce proliferation and hypertrophy of acinar cells in rodent salivary glands. However, the clonal proliferation ability of stem/progenitor cells of salivary glands by isoproterenol remains unclear. OBJECTIVE:To study the proliferation and activation ability of stem/progenitor cells of submandibular gland with colony assay by intraperitoneal injection of isoproterenol. METHODS:Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into two groups, isoproterenol and control groups, respectively intraperitonal y injected with isoproterenol and normal saline for 5 consecutive days. The gland tissues were harvested, and the stem/progenitor cells of submandibular gland were obtained by enzyme digestion in vitro. The number of clonal colonies of each group was analyzed. The larger colony cells were col ected for immunohistochemistry staining with CD90.1, laminin andα6β1. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The number of middle and low proliferative potential colony-forming cells was less but high proliferative potential colony forming cells were significantly more in isoproterenol group compared with control group (P0.05). The high proliferative potential colony forming cells were positive for CD90.1, laminin andα6β1. Results showed that isoproterenol treatment model cannot increase the cellnumber, but enhance the proliferation ability of stem/progenitor cells from the submandibular gland.