title: [Multilineage differentiation of human dental pulp cells and periodontal ligament cells in vitro].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the multilineage differentiation potential of human dental pulp cells (DPC) and periodontal ligament cells (PDLC) in vitro, and to identify the stem cell characteristics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Human DPC and PDLC were isolated by enzymatic digestion. STRO-1 expression was investigated by flow cytometry. Cells were induced to odontogenic/osteogenic differentiation, adipogenic differentiation and chondrogenic differentiation. The multilineage differentiation capacities of DPC and PDLC were evaluated by von Kossa stain, anti-osteocalcin (OCN) and anti-dentin sialoprotein (DSP) immunocytochemistry, oil red O stain, Alcian blue stain, anti-collagen type II immunocytochemistry, and real time RT-PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Colony formation was observed in DPC and PDLC, with STRO-1 positive rate of (16.5% +/- 4.2%) and (11.6% +/- 1.1%) respectively. Multilineage differentiation was demonstrated in 100% of DPC samples in contrast to 83.3% of PDLC samples. OCN, dentin sialophosphoprotein (DSPP), peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor gamma 2 (PPARgamma2), lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and collagen type II mRNA levels in DPC and PDLC were significantly upregulated after induction (P < 0.001). There were significant differences in the ratio of upregulation of OCN and PPARgamma2 mRNAs between DPC and PDLC (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DPC and PDLC contain similar proportion of mesenchymal stem cells and possess comparable multilineage differentiation capacities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cariology and Endodontology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510055, China.
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Li-ping
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Jun-qi
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Ling
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003782:Dental Pulp / Q000166:cytology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D010513:Periodontal Ligament / Q000166:cytology*