title: Human adult dental pulp CD117/c-kit-positive networks of stromal cells.
abstract: Dental pulp tissue was collected from 6 healthy adult patients, prior to prosthetic treatments, in order to evaluate the in situ phenotype of dental pulp stromal cells and compare with that of dental pulp stem cells. A CD34-/CD44+/CD105-/CD117+/CD146-/nestin- phenotype of stromal cells in the dental pulp core was found. Cells with a similar phenotype, but CD44-, were found in the cell richzone. Dental pulp stromal networks (DPSNs) were found CD117+/CD44+ in the pulp core, but CD117+/CD44- in the cell rich zone. The c-kit-positive DPSNs were contacting pulp nerves and were, in this regard only, comparable to interstitial Cajal cells. Stromal signalling in dental pulp needs further evaluation, in normal tissue as well as a possible cause of persisting pain after endodontic treatments.
authors.affiliation: Division of Anatomy, Faculty of Dental Medicine, "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania. anatomon@gmail.com.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Rusu
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Loreto
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sava
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mănoiu
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Didilescu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000906:Antibodies / Q000378:metabolism; D003782:Dental Pulp / Q000166:cytology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / Q000378:metabolism*; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit