title: Mineralized nodule formation by cultures of human dental pulp-derived fibroblasts.
abstract: Pulp fibroblasts were isolated from human deciduous and supernumerary teeth and cultured in vitro. With continued culture in normal tissue-culture medium, six pulp fibroblast strains formed cell nodules after 10-15 days. By electron microscopy the nodules had matrix vesicles, and needle-shaped crystals associated with a dense network of collagen fibrils. The crystalline material exhibited a pattern consistent with hydroxyapatite when nodules were examined by X-ray diffractometry. Furthermore, the cells showed high levels of alkaline phosphatase activity, which could be increased more than seven-fold by the addition of 1,25(OH)2D3 (5 x 10(-9)-5 x 10(-8) M). In addition to the production of type I collagen, these cells also synthesized fibronectin and osteonectin. The formation of mineralized tissue nodules by pulp cells in vitro provides a useful system for study of the pathological calcification of pulp tissues.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Osaka Dental University, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tsukamoto
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fukutani
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shin-Ike
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kubota
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mori
mesh_terms: D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002762:Cholecalciferol / Q000494:pharmacology; D003094:Collagen / Q000096:biosynthesis; D003784:Dental Pulp Calcification / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D003809:Dentin, Secondary; D017886:Durapatite; D004577:Electron Probe Microanalysis; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006801:Humans; D006882:Hydroxyapatites / Q000378:metabolism; D015676:Osteonectin / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous; D014096:Tooth, Supernumerary; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D005353:Fibronectins; D006882:Hydroxyapatites; D015676:Osteonectin; D002762:Cholecalciferol; D003094:Collagen; D017886:Durapatite; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase