A Mouthful of Genomic Data: Single-Cell Insights into Salivary Gland Biology and Disease.

Single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) studies over the past several years have provided unprecedented resolution into the transcriptomic landscape of both major and minor salivary glands. This technology enables the identification of diverse and functionally specialized cell populations that underlie glandular architecture and physiology. Increasingly, scRNA-seq has become an integral component of experimental design, used not only to validate prior observations but also to uncover novel cell types, pathways, and molecular regulatory mechanisms. As a result, a growing number of publicly available datasets now encompass a wide spectrum of biological contexts including homeostasis, disease, and regeneration. However, inconsistencies in data processing and incomplete reporting of experimental methods pose challenges for reproducibility and limit the ability to distinguish high-quality datasets. As single-cell technologies continue to evolve and become more accessible, their application in salivary gland research is expected to expand, offering deeper insight into both basic biology and clinical translation. This review compiles and summarizes findings from a growing body of scRNA-seq studies of the salivary glands, highlights current limitations, provides methodological considerations, and expounds on key cellular and genomic discoveries to help guide future investigations.