Original Articles Open access

The role of heat shock protein chaperones in human and murine salivary gland ontogenesis

Authors

Published
10 July 2026
Issue
Early Access
Section
Original Articles
DOI
10.4081/jbr.2026.14820

Abstract

The chaperone system plays essential roles in health and disease and is likely critical during embryogenesis. Previous studies have focused on early stages, from the one-cell stage to the blastocyst, with no information available on the topographic distribution or quantitative expression of chaperone system components, such as molecular chaperones, after the blastocyst stage in salivary glands. This study aims to map the distribution and expression levels of key molecular chaperones, including Heat Shock Proteins (Hsps), in embryonic salivary glands of mice and humans. Tissue levels of Hsp10, Hsp60, and Hsp90 in humans and mice, Hsp27 in humans, and Hsp25 in mice were assessed by immunohistochemistry in adult and embryonic paraffin-embedded salivary gland tissues. Protein and gene expression of Hsps were further analyzed in adult mouse submandibular glands. All studied Hsps were present at substantial levels in embryonic salivary gland tissues of both species. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed a developmental shift in Hsp distribution: with development, Hsps were predominantly confined to the ducts. In conclusion, this study provides a first descriptive and quantitative map of chaperone system components in human salivary gland development. The stage-dependent differences observed between embryonic and adult tissues offer a reference framework that may inform future functional investigations into salivary gland morphogenesis and related pathological conditions.

Keywords

Ethics Approval

Not applicable.

Data Availability Statement

All data included in this study are available upon reasonable request by contacting the corresponding author. 

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