title: [The characteristics of cultured dental pulp cells and the localization of dental pulp stem cells].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was aimed to investigate the localization of dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) by comparing the characteristics of cultured dental pulp cells in coronal and root pulp.
  
  
  METHODS
  Human dental coronal and root pulp cells were cultured in tissue-explant method, the cell culture successfulness, attachment efficiency, cell viality, morphology, proliferation pattern, and the mineralization ability were observed, the localization of DPSCs was investigated in the functional respect of DPSCs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The human dental root pulp cells have more culture successfulness,more attachment efficiency,more cell viality, more primary characteristics, and stronger induced mineralization ability than that of coronal pulp cells. Root and coronal pulp cells showed same proliferation patterns.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DPSCs may exist in both dental root and coronal pulp, and the density of DPSCs in the root pulp may be higher than the coronal pulp.
authors.affiliation: Oral and Maxillofacial Department, Qilu Hospital of Shangdong University, Jinan 250012, Shandong province, China. lshabccba@sdu.edu.cn
authors.forename: Shao-hua
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Feng-cai
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Shan-zhen
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Chun-yan
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yun-sheng
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002113:Calcification, Physiologic; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002455:Cell Division; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003782:Dental Pulp / Q000166:cytology*; D006801:Humans; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*