Preliminary study of tissue-engineered odontogenesis in the canine jaw.
OBJECTIVE
We previously reported a method for the development of tissue-engineered tooth. However, 1 drawback of the procedure was the inability to determine whether the tooth would function when transplanted in the jaw because it was formed in the omentum of the abdomen. Therefore, the present study was designed to evaluate whether transplantation of dissociated odontogenic cells could induce tissue-engineered odontogenesis in the canine jaw.


METHODS
Cells were harvested from canine first molar tooth buds and the resulting heterogeneous cell population was seeded on a biodegradable polymer. These constructs were then transplanted into the same sockets after extracting the tooth buds. After transplantation, we evaluated the transplanted constructs using dental x-ray, micro-computed tomography, histology, and immunohistochemistry.


RESULTS
After 24 weeks, micro-x-ray computed tomography showed regenerated hard tissues in the jaw, and hematoxylin and eosin staining showed tubular dentin and bone. In the regenerated tissue, osteopontin, osteonectin, and osteocalcin antibodies stained the dentinal matrix. However, enamel tissue and dental-root formation were not observed.


CONCLUSIONS
These data show for the first time the formation of dentin and bone from dissociated odontogenic cells in the canine jaw.
Honda
Masaki J
MJ
Tooth Regeneration, Division of Stem Cell Engineering, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan. honda-m@ims.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Ohara
Takayuki
T
Sumita
Yoshinori
Y
Ogaeri
Takunori
T
Kagami
Hideaki
H
Ueda
Minoru
M
D000818:Animals; D001861:Bone Regeneration; D017690:Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D003804:Dentin / Q000254:growth & development; D004285:Dogs; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D008963:Molar / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D009805:Odontogenesis; D011859:Radiography; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D014083:Tooth Germ / Q000637:transplantation*; D014092:Tooth Root / Q000254:growth & development