Department of Stem Cell, Center for Stem Cell and Gene Therapies Research and Practice, Kocaeli University, Kocaeli, Turkey.
Histochem Cell Biol. 2011 Oct;136(4):455-73. doi: 10.1007/s00418-011-0858-3. Epub 2011 Aug 31.
Dental pulp stem cells (hDP-SCs) were primarily derived from pulp tissues of primary incisors, exfoliated deciduous and permanent third molar teeth. To understand the characteristics of hDP-SCs from impacted third molar, proliferation capacities, gene expression profiles, phenotypic, ultrastructural, and differentiation characteristics were analyzed in comparison with human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBM-MSCs), extensively. hDP-SCs showed more developed and metabolically active cells. Contrary to hBM-MSCs, hDP-SCs strongly expressed both cytokeratin (CK)-18 and -19, which could involve in odontoblast differentiation and dentine repair. The intrinsic neuro-glia characteristics of hDP-MSCs were demonstrated by the expression of several specific transcripts and proteins of neural stem cell and neurons. These cells not only differentiate into adipogenic, osteogenic, and chondrogenic lineage, but also share some special characteristics of expressing some neural stem cell and epithelial markers. Under defined conditions, hDP-SCs are able to differentiate into both neural and vascular endothelial cells in vitro. Dental pulp might provide an alternative source for human MSCs. hDP-SCs with a promising differentiation capacity could be easily isolated, and possible clinical use could be developed for neurodegenerative and oral diseases in the future.
牙髓干细胞（hDP-SCs）主要来源于乳前牙、脱落的乳牙和第三磨牙的牙髓组织。为了了解埋伏第三磨牙中 hDP-SCs 的特性，我们对其增殖能力、基因表达谱、表型、超微结构和分化特性进行了广泛的分析，并与骨髓间充质干细胞（hBM-MSCs）进行了比较。hDP-SCs 显示出更发达和代谢活跃的细胞。与 hBM-MSCs 相反，hDP-SCs 强烈表达细胞角蛋白（CK）-18 和 -19，这可能涉及成牙本质细胞分化和牙本质修复。hDP-MSCs 的固有神经胶质特性通过神经干细胞和神经元的几个特定转录本和蛋白的表达来证明。这些细胞不仅分化为成脂、成骨和成软骨谱系，而且还具有表达一些神经干细胞和上皮标志物的一些特殊特征。在特定条件下，hDP-SCs 能够在体外分化为神经细胞和血管内皮细胞。牙髓可能为人类 MSC 提供了另一种来源。具有良好分化能力的 hDP-SCs 易于分离，未来可能用于治疗神经退行性疾病和口腔疾病。
