Calcium Dynamics and Water Transport in Salivary Acinar Cells

Saliva is secreted from the acinar cells of the salivary glands, using mechanisms that are similar to other types of water-transporting epithelial cells. Using a combination of theoretical and experimental techniques, over the past 20 years we have continually developed and modified a quantitative model of saliva secretion, and how it is controlled by the dynamics of intracellular calcium. However, over approximately the past 5 years there have been significant developments both in our understanding of the underlying mechanisms and in the way these mechanisms should best be modelled. Here, we review the traditional understanding of how saliva is secreted, and describe how our work has suggested important modifications to this traditional view. We end with a brief description of the most recent data from living animals and discuss how this is now contributing to yet another iteration of model construction and experimental investigation.

Automated summary

Saliva is secreted from the acinar cells of the salivary glands in a mechanism similar to other water-transporting epithelial cells. Over the past 20 years, a quantitative model of saliva secretion has been continuously developed and modified, with a focus on the control by intracellular calcium dynamics. Recent advancements in understanding the underlying mechanisms have led to important modifications to the traditional view of saliva secretion.