The submandibular gland (SG) is a relatively simple organ formed by three cell types: acinar, myoepithelial, and an intricate network of duct-forming epithelial cells, that together fulfills several physiological functions from assisting food digestion to acting as an immune barrier against pathogens. Successful SG organogenesis is the product of highly controlled and orchestrated genetic and transcriptional programs. Mounting evidence links Transposable Elements (TEs), originally thought to be selfish genetic elements, to different aspects of gene regulation in mammalian development and disease. To our knowledge, the role of TEs during murine SG organogenesis has not been studied. Using novel bioinformatic tools and publicly available RNA-Seq datasets, our results indicate that a significant number of genic and intergenic TEs are differentially expressed during the SG development. Furthermore, changes in expression of specific TEs correlated with that of genes involved in cellular division and differentiation, critical aspects for SG maturation. Altogether, we propose that TEs modulate gene networks that operate during SG development.

In vitro modeling of neurodegenerative diseases is now possible by using patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS). Through them, it is nowadays conceivable to obtain human neurons and glia, and study diseases cellular and molecular mechanisms, an attribute that was previously unavailable to any human condition. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is one of the diseases that has gained a rapid advance with iPS technology. By differentiating motor neurons from iPS cells of ALS-patients, we are studying the mechanisms underlying ALS-disease onset and progression. Here, we introduce a cellular platform to help maintain longevity of ALS iPS-motor neurons, a cellular feature relevant for most late-onset human diseases. Long term cultures of patient-derived iPS cells might prove to be critical for the development of personalized-drugs.