title: [Expression of Scleraxis in human periodontal ligament cells and gingival fibroblasts].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study if Scleraxis, a basic helix-loop-helix type transcription factor, could be expressed in human periodontal ligament cells (hPDLC), bone marrow cells (hBMSC) and gingival fibroblasts (hGF), and to investigate if Scleraxis was involved in hPDLC differentiation.
  
  
  METHODS
  hPDLC, hBMSC and hGF were cultured. Expression of Scleraxis in hPDLC from different passages and in hBMSC and hGF was analyzed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Scleraxis expression in hPDLC, hBMSC and hGF were significantly different (P < 0.05). The A values of Scleraxis/beta-actin in these kinds of cells were 0.877 +/- 0.024, 0.438 +/- 0.031, 0.313 +/- 0.083, respectively. The expression of Scleraxis was the highest in hPDLC and lowest in hGF. Scleraxis expression of hPDLC decreased with increase of passages in culture.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Scleraxis was expressed in hPDLC, hBMSC and hGF in vitro, and may play an important role in differentiation of hPDLC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Dalian Stomatological Hospital, Dalian Liaoning 116021, China.
authors.forename: Qiong
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Wu-yi
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Cheng-zhang
authors.initials: CZ
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000166:cytology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism*; D005881:Gingiva / Q000166:cytology*; D006801:Humans; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D010513:Periodontal Ligament / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; C093504:SCX protein, human