title: Changes in proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of stem cells from deep caries in vitro.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It is suggested that dental pulp stem cells are involved in tooth regeneration and play an important role in maintaining pulp homeostasis. Previously, normal dental pulps were more widely used for experimental models than carious dental pulps. The aim of this study was to isolate and culture the dental pulp stem cells from carious and normal teeth and to evaluate stem cell parameters.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pulp tissues were obtained and dissociated from normal and carious teeth. Single-cell suspensions were seeded into 6-well plates and purified by collecting multiple colonies. Normal dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) and carious dental pulp stem cells (CDPSCs) were compared for morphologic appearance and for their capacity to differentiate into 3 lineages. Colony-forming and MTT assays, cell cycle analysis, gene expression, and alkaline phosphatase activity were also evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Stem cells were cultured successfully from normal and carious dental pulps. CDPSCs displayed increased proliferation ability compared with DPSCs. CDPSCs also showed enhanced ALP activity, mineralization ability, and expression of osteogenesis/dentinogenesis-related genes. All cultures differentiated into 3 cell types.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest that caries as a local microenvironment should be taken into account when DPSCs are intended to be used for investigations and application. Furthermore, the mechanism of the underlying changes in cell properties requires further study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Stomatology, Nanfang Hospital, and College of Stomatology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Dandan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yue
authors.forename: Wenjuan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Fuchun
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Buling
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002453:Cell Cycle; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003114:Colony-Forming Units Assay; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000473:pathology*; D003782:Dental Pulp / Q000166:cytology*; D003809:Dentin, Secondary / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D003810:Dentinogenesis / Q000235:genetics; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000473:pathology; D010012:Osteogenesis / Q000235:genetics*; D055153:Stem Cell Niche; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002118:Calcium