title: Proliferation of mature ex vivo human dental pulp using tissue engineering scaffolds.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to measure and compare the proliferation of mature human dental pulp tissue using three types of tissue engineering scaffolds.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mature human teeth were collected immediately after extraction for routine dental treatment reasons. Three types of tissue engineering scaffolds were investigated (1) open-polylactic acid (polymer) scaffolds, (2) bovine collagen (collagen) scaffolds, and (3) calcium phosphate bioceramic (calcium phosphate) scaffolds. The scaffolds were placed in direct contact with the dental pulp of the tooth slices from 7 to 30 days. Neutral-red dye was added to the culture media to stain metabolically active cells. The specimens were processed for histology. The numbers of proliferating cells were counted per unit area of scaffold according to ISO criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The proliferating dental pulp cells had a fibroblast phenotype, no cells of other phenotypes were observed, and none of the cells appeared to be mineralizing. The average rate of mature vital dental cell proliferation was 1.305 cells per day in the calcium phosphate scaffolds compared with 7.195 (a rate increase of 551%) in the collagen scaffolds and 13.885 (a rate increase of 1,064%) in the polymer scaffolds.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tissue engineering scaffolds can enhance the proliferation of mature dental pulp tissue. The rate of dental pulp proliferation is dependent on the chemical composition of the scaffold. Within the limitations of this study, the polymer scaffolds were more optimal than collagen or calcium phosphate scaffolds for mature dental pulp proliferation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endodontics, College of Dental Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33328-2018, USA.
authors.forename: Sheila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chandrahasa
authors.forename: Peter E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: Kenneth N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Namerow
mesh_terms: D002130:Calcium Phosphates; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D003094:Collagen; D003782:Dental Pulp / Q000166:cytology*; D006801:Humans; D019344:Lactic Acid; D011091:Polyesters; D011108:Polymers; D012038:Regeneration; D046509:Tissue Culture Techniques; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds
chemical_list: D002130:Calcium Phosphates; D011091:Polyesters; D011108:Polymers; D019344:Lactic Acid; C033616:poly(lactide); D003094:Collagen; C020243:calcium phosphate