title: Comparison of the differentiation potential of neural crest derived progenitor cells from apical papilla (dNC-PCs) and stem cells from exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED) into mineralising cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Recently, cells from the apical papilla of retained human third molars (dental neural crest-derived progenitor cells, dNC-PCs) have been isolated and characterised as multipotent progenitor cells. Nonetheless, molecular processes during differentiation into mineralising cells are still unknown. This study evaluated the osteogenic/odontogenic differentiation of dNC-PCs under in vitro conditions and compared these cells with already known odontoblast precursor cells (dental stem cells from exfoliated human deciduous teeth, SHED).
  
  
  METHODS
  The differentiation of dNC-PCs and SHED under in vitro conditions was verified by Alizarin red staining (mineralisation), alkaline phosphatase activity and the expression of osteogenic/odontogenic markers (RT-PCRs). The genome wide expression-profiles were investigated with Affymetrix DNA-microarrays and the cell migration with a gel spot cell migration assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In our study dNC-PCs differentiated like SHED in mineralising cells. The expression of odontoblast markers suggested that dNC-PCs and SHED differentiated into different types of odontoblasts. This supposition was supported by genome wide gene expression profiles of dNC-PCs and SHED after cell differentiation. Typical biological processes of undifferentiated cells, for example "mitosis", were regulated in dNC-PCs. In SHED biological processes like "response to wounding" or "cell migration" were regulated, which are associated with replacement odontoblasts and their precursors. Moreover, a gel-spot assay revealed that SHED migrated faster than dNC-PCs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that dNC-PCs are precursors for primary odontoblasts, whereas SHED differentiate into replacement odontoblasts. These different odontogenic differentiation potentials of dNC-PCs and SHED have to be considered for cellular therapies and tissue engineering approaches in the future.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cranio- and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital Regensburg, Germany. martin.gosau@ukr.de
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gosau
authors.forename: Werner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Götz
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Felthaus
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ettl
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jäger
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Morsczeck
mesh_terms: D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000032:analysis; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D002113:Calcification, Physiologic / Q000502:physiology*; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D000071063:Endoglin; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005881:Gingiva / Q000166:cytology*; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000032:analysis; D058574:Integrin-Binding Sialoprotein / Q000032:analysis; D008938:Mitosis / Q000502:physiology; D064231:Nestin / Q000032:analysis; D009432:Neural Crest / Q000166:cytology*; D009804:Odontoblasts / Q000502:physiology; D009805:Odontogenesis / Q000502:physiology; D015675:Osteocalcin / Q000032:analysis; D010012:Osteogenesis / Q000502:physiology; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000032:analysis; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000032:analysis; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins / Q000032:analysis; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous / Q000166:cytology*; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology; D000099311:Dentin Sialophosphoprotein
chemical_list: D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D015703:Antigens, CD; D015415:Biomarkers; D000071063:Endoglin; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D058574:Integrin-Binding Sialoprotein; D064231:Nestin; D015675:Osteocalcin; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins; D000099311:Dentin Sialophosphoprotein; C497483:CD44 protein, human; C513309:DMP1 protein, human; C064206:ENG protein, human; C577484:NES protein, human