title: [Isolation and identification of dog periodontal ligament stem cells].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To isolate, culture and identify a dog periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSC) line in vitro.
  
  
  METHODS
  The adult dog periodontal ligament cells were isolated by limited dilution of culture cell for single cell clone. Cells originated from one of these clones were assessed through colony-forming efficiency and immunocytochemistry assay and alkaline phosphatase stain was used to identify the source of adult dog periodontal stem cells, at the same time, PDLSC were induced with mineralizatin solution and was found to have long protrude like an osteoblast. Differentiation of PDLSC were assessed. Mineralized potential was studied by Von-Kossa staining.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The dog PDLSC expressed STRO-1, which was the marker of mesenchymal stem cells. Also Vimentin, osteoblast-like marker alkaline phosphatase and Collagen-I expressed weakly. Cells were clonegenic, highly proliferative cells and capable of differentiating into osteoblasts/cementoblasts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The evidence suggests that the cultured cells were stem cells from adult dog periodontal ligament.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Stomatology, The Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical College, Zhanjiang 524001, China.
authors.forename: Xiu-Mei
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Hong-Wei
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Hui-Xia
authors.initials: HX
authors.lastname: He