title: Osteogenic differentiation of dental follicle stem cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Stem cells are defined as clonogenic cells capable of self-renewal and multi-lineage differentiation. A population of these cells has been identified in human Dental Follicle (DF). Dental Follicle Stem Cells (DFSCs) were found in pediatric unerupted wisdom teeth and have been shown to differentiate, under particular conditions, into various cell types of the mesenchymal tissues.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate if cells isolated from DF show stem features, differentiate toward osteoblastic phenotype and express osteoblastic markers.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied the immunophenotype of DFSCs by flow cytometric analysis, the osteoblastic markers of differentiated DFSCs were assayed by histochemical methods and real-time PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We demonstrated that DFSCs expressed a heterogeneous assortment of makers associated with stemness. Moreover DFSCs differentiated into osteoblast-like cells, producing mineralized matrix nodules and expressed the typical osteoblastic markers, Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) and Collagen I (Coll I).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that DFSCs may provide a cell source for tissue engineering of bone.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Medical School, University of Foggia, Italy. g.mori@unifg.it
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ballini
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carbone
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oranger
authors.forename: Giacomina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Brunetti
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Benedetto
authors.forename: Biagio
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rapone
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cantore
authors.forename: Mariasevera
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Comite
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Colucci
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grano
authors.forename: Felice R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Grassi
mesh_terms: D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002648:Child; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000378:metabolism; D003795:Dental Sac / Q000166:cytology*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D008297:Male; D010012:Osteogenesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D024042:Collagen Type I; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase