Alexandria, VA, USA – The American Association for Dental, Oral and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR) has announced the IADR/AADOCR Journal of Dental Research (JDR) Cover of the Year, 2022 for the paper, “MUC1 and Polarity Markers INADL and SCRIB Identify Salivary Ductal Cells.” The winners were recognized during the Opening Ceremonies of the 52nd Annual Meeting of the AADOCR, held in conjunction with the 47th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Association for Dental Research (CADR), that took place on March 15, 2023.
In this study, authors D. Wu, P.J. Chapela, C.M.L. Barrows, D.A. Harrington, D.D. Carson, R.L. Witt, N.G. Mohyuddin, S. Pradhan-Bhatt, and M.C. Farach-Carson found that early ductal progenitors derived from human stem/progenitor cells (hS/PCs) do not express K19, the classical ductal marker in salivary tissue, and thus earlier markers were needed to distinguish these cells from acinar progenitors.
Salivary ductal cells express distinct polarity complex proteins that we hypothesized could serve as lineage biomarkers to distinguish ductal cells from acinar cells in differentiating hS/PC populations.
Based on studies of primary salivary tissue, both parotid and submandibular glands, and differentiating hS/PCs, they concluded that the apical marker MUC1 along with the polarity markers INADL/PATJ and SCRIB can reliably identify ductal cells in salivary glands and in ductal progenitor populations of hS/PCs being used for salivary tissue engineering. Other markers of epithelial maturation, including E-cadherin, ZO-1, and partition complex component PAR3, are present in both ductal and acinar cells, where they can serve as general markers of differentiation but not lineage markers.
Selected by the IADR/AADOCR Publications Committee, the award honors the cover that features an aesthetically pleasing, scientifically novel image that enhances the impact of the article. All JDR covers from 2022 were evaluated.
About the Journal of Dental Research
The Journal of Dental Research (JDR) is a multidisciplinary journal dedicated to the dissemination of new knowledge in all sciences relevant to dentistry and the oral cavity and associated structures in health and disease. The JDR Editor-in-Chief is Nicholas Jakubovics, Newcastle University, England. To learn more, visit https://journals.sagepub.com/home/jdr and follow JDR on Twitter at @JDentRes!
About IADR
The International Association for Dental Research (IADR) is a nonprofit organization with a mission to drive dental, oral, and craniofacial research for health and well-being worldwide. IADR represents the individual scientists, clinician-scientists, dental professionals, and students based in academic, government, non-profit and private-sector institutions who share our mission. Learn more at www.iadr.org.
About AADOCR
The American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR) is a nonprofit organization with a mission to drive dental, oral, and craniofacial research to advance health and well-being. AADOCR represents the individual scientists, clinician-scientists, dental professionals, and students based in academic, government, non-profit and private-sector institutions who share our mission. AADOCR is the largest division of the International Association for Dental Research. Learn more at www.aadocr.org.