title: Characterization of deciduous teeth stem cells isolated from crown dental pulp.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The last decade has been profoundly marked by persistent attempts to use ex vivo expanded and manipulated mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), as a tool in different types of regenerative therapy. In the present study we described immunophenotype and the proliferative and differentiation potential of cells isolated from pulp remnants of exfoliated deciduous teeth in the final phase of root resorption.
  
  
  METHODS
  The initial adherent cell population from five donors was obtained by the outgrowth method. Colony forming unit-fibroblast (CFU-F) assay was performed in passage one. Cell expansion was performed until passage three and all tests were done until passage eight. Cells were labeled for early mesenchymal stem cells markers and analysis have been done using flow cytometry. The proliferative potential was assessed by cell counting in defined time points and population doubling time was calculated. Commercial media were used to induce osteoblastic, chondrogenic and adipogenic differentiation. Cytology and histology methods were used for analysis of differentiated cell morphology and extracellular matrix characteristics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  According to immunophenotype analyses all undifferentiated cells were positive for the mesenchymal stem cell markers: CD29 and CD73. Some cells expressed CD146 and CD106. The hematopoietic cell marker, CD34, was not detected. In passage one, incidence of CFU-F was 4.7 +/- 0.5/100. Population doubling time did not change significantly during cell subcultivation and was in average 25 h. After induction of differentiation, the multicolony derived cell population had a tri-lineage differentiation potential, since mineralized matrix, cartilage-like tissue and adipocytes were successfully formed after three weeks of incubation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Altogether, these data suggest that remnants of deciduous teeth dental pulp contained cell populations with mesenchymal stem cell-like features, with a high proliferation and tri-lineage differentiation potential and that these cultures are suitable for further in vitro evaluation of cell based therapies.
authors.forename: Jasmina Debeljak
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Martacić
authors.forename: Jelena
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Francuski
authors.forename: Tijana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Luzajić
authors.forename: Nemanja
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vuković
authors.forename: Slavko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mojsilović
authors.forename: Neda
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Drndarević
authors.forename: Marijana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Petakov
authors.forename: Marija
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Glibetić
authors.forename: Danica
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Marković
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Radovanović
authors.forename: Vera
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Todorović
authors.forename: Milica Kovacević
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Filipović
mesh_terms: D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002648:Child; D003782:Dental Pulp / Q000166:cytology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous / Q000166:cytology*