Experimental models of salivary gland damage. Review of morphological, functional, and molecular aspects

Background. Salivary gland pathology, manifested by hyposalivation (xerostomia) and progressive fibrosis, remains a pressing problem in dentistry and general medicine. Experimental rodent models allow us to study morphological and functional changes in glandular tissue, identify key pathogenetic mechanisms of their development, and test regenerative interventions. However, a unified review of modern models, particularly one that quantifies fibrosis in the salivary glands, is still lacking. Materials and methods. This review analyzes various experimental models of salivary gland injury performed in mice and rats over the past 7 years (2018—2025). Data from PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus was used. Results. The analysis revealed that radiation and drug-induced toxicity models are the most actively studied. Radiation models show rapid growth of fibrous tissue and a decrease in glandular function. New pathogenetic mechanisms, such as ferroptosis and mitophagy, have been identified in models of toxic or hormonal injury. Lesion morphology is characterized by acinar cell atrophy, stromal expansion, and collagen accumulation. The use of quantitative methods (e.g., collagen area, fibrosis index) has become more widespread, but standardization has not yet been achieved. Therapeutic studies (mesenchymal stem cells, exosomes, dietary interventions) show encouraging results in restoring gland structure and function. Conclusion. There is significant potential for using experimental salivary gland models to study xerostomia and fibrosis. However, unification of morphometric criteria, mandatory inclusion of functional assessment, and standardized application of quantitative indicators, such as the fibrosis index, are required. These steps will create the basis for translating these findings into clinical practice and developing regenerative strategies.