title: Differentiation ability of rat postnatal dental pulp cells in vitro.
abstract: The current rapid progression in stem cell research has enhanced our knowledge of dental tissue regeneration. In this study, rat dental pulp cells were isolated and their differentiation ability was evaluated. First, dental pulp cells were obtained from maxillary incisors of male Wistar rats. Immunochemistry by stem cell marker STRO-1 proved the existence of stem cells or progenitors in the isolated cell population. The dissociated cells were then cultured both on smooth surfaces and on three-dimensional (3-D) scaffold materials in medium supplemented with beta-glycerophosphate, dexamethasone, and L-ascorbic acid. Cultures were analyzed by light and scanning electron microscopy and, on proliferation, alkaline phosphatase activity and calcium content were determined and the polymerase chain reaction was performed for dentin sialophosphoprotein, osteocalcin, and collagen type I. These cells showed the ability to differentiate into odontoblast-like cells and produced calcified nodules, which had components similar to dentin. In addition, we found that the "odontogenic" properties of the isolated cells were supported by three-dimensional calcium phosphate and titanium scaffolds equally well.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology and Biomaterials, College of Dental Science, University Medical Center Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: X F
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Walboomers
authors.forename: J G C
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Wolke
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Bian
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Jansen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002130:Calcium Phosphates / Q000737:chemistry; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003782:Dental Pulp / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008422:Materials Testing; D009804:Odontoblasts / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D002130:Calcium Phosphates; C020243:calcium phosphate; D014025:Titanium; D002118:Calcium