A Journey from Dental Pulp Stem Cells to a Bio-tooth

Abstract

The ultimate goal of tooth regeneration is to replace the lost teeth. Stem cell-based tooth engineering is deemed as a promising approach to the making of a biological tooth (bio-tooth). Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) represent a kind of adult cell colony which has the potent capacity of self-renewing and multilineage differentiation. The exact origin of DPSCs has not been fully determined and these stem cells seem to be the source of odontoblasts that contribute to the formation of dentin-pulp complex. Recently, achievements obtained from stem cell biology and tooth regeneration have enabled us to contemplate the potential applications of DPSCs. Some studies have proved that DPSCs are capable of producing dental tissues in vivo including dentin, pulp, and crown-like structures. Whereas other investigations have shown that these stem cells can bring about the formation of bone-like tissues. Theoretically, a bio-tooth made from autogenous DPSCs should be the best choice for clinical tooth reconstruction. This review will focus on the location, origin, and current isolation approaches of these stem cells. Their odontoblastic differentiation and potential utilizations in the reconstruction of dentin-pulp complex and bio-tooth will be extensively discussed.

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“…This pulp like tissues can be engineered in vitro using DPSCs seeded into synthetic matrices made up of poly glycolic acid 22,23 . Stem cells can differentiate into pulp like tissue and dentine pulp complex 24 . So these stem cells can be used to replace infected pulp tissue of an inflamed tooth with a newly generated pulp like tissue.…”

“…Ming Yan et al proposed that DPSCs are useful in reconstruction of dentin pulp complex and bio tooth 24 . Human tooth is made up of enamel, dentin, cementum and pulp tissue.…”

“…Stem cells can differentiate into all four types of tissues. Hence Ming Yan et al suggested that bio tooth can be made from stem cells 24 .…”

Isolation and culture of stem cells derived from dental pulp of permanent teeth: a successful method

“…However, currently, there is no specific marker or a combination of markers able to identify MSCs. Hence, the isolation of MSCs also depends on biologi-cal characteristics, such as colony-forming ability, fibroblast-like morphology (these cells are also known as colony-forming unit fibroblasts -CFU-Fs), plastic adherence, proliferative ability, and self-renewal and multi-differentiation potential 4 . Despite the lack of specific markers, MSCs often express STRO-1, CD44, CD73, CD90, and CD105, and are negative for CD31, CD34, CD45, CD80, CD86, and HLA-DR 5,6 .…”

Regeneration of Corneal Epithelium With Dental Pulp Stem Cells Using a Contact Lens Delivery System

“…In 2000, a new source of stem cells was discovered in human adult tooth pulp, these are dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs). 8 Their discovery holds particular promise for orofacial tissue regeneration [9][10][11] because they originate from craniofacial tissue derived from neural crest cells that have undergone an epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Dental pulp stem cells are easily accessible by tooth extraction (wisdom, ectopic tooth, or even decayed tooth) or root canal surgery; they can be cryopreserved and biobanked to serve as a source of autologous stem cells for future use.…”