title: Localization and osteoblastic differentiation potential of neural crest-derived cells in oral tissues of adult mice.
abstract: In embryos, neural crest cells emerge from the dorsal region of the fusing neural tube and migrate throughout tissues to differentiate into various types of cells including osteoblasts. In adults, subsets of neural crest-derived cells (NCDCs) reside as stem cells and are considered to be useful cell sources for regenerative medicine strategies. Numerous studies have suggested that stem cells with a neural crest origin persist into adulthood, especially those within the mammalian craniofacial compartment. However, their distribution as well as capacity to differentiate into osteoblasts in adults is not fully understood. To analyze the precise distribution and characteristics of NCDCs in adult oral tissues, we utilized an established line of double transgenic (P0-Cre/CAG-CAT-EGFP) mice in which NCDCs express green fluorescent protein (GFP) throughout their life. GFP-positive cells were scattered like islands throughout tissues of the palate, gingiva, tongue, and buccal mucosa in adult mice, with those isolated from the latter shown to form spheres, typical cell clusters composed of stem cells, under low-adherent conditions. Furthermore, GFP-positive cells had markedly increased alkaline phosphatase (a marker enzyme of osteoblast differentiation) activity and mineralization as shown by alizarin red staining, in the presence of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-2. These results suggest that NCDCs reside in various adult oral tissues and possess potential to differentiate into osteoblastic cells. NCDCs in adults may be a useful cell source for bone regeneration strategies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, School of Dentistry, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Miki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ono
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, School of Dentistry, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan. Electronic address: suzawa@dent.showa-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Tetsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suzawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, School of Dentistry, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan. Electronic address: takami@dent.showa-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Masamichi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takami
authors.affiliation: Division of Pathology, Department of Oral Diagnostic Sciences, School of Dentistry, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Gou
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.affiliation: Center for Biotechnology, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomohiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hosono
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, School of Dentistry, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, School of Dentistry, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Dai
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, School of Dentistry, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshimura
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Junichi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Watahiki
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan.
authors.forename: Ryuhei
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.affiliation: Center for Biotechnology, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arata
authors.affiliation: Division of Pathology, Department of Oral Diagnostic Sciences, School of Dentistry, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mishima
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan.
authors.forename: Kohji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nishida
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Neuroscience, Center for Neuroscience, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: Noriko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Osumi
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Koutaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Maki
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, School of Dentistry, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Ryutaro
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kamijo
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009055:Mouth / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D009432:Neural Crest / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D010012:Osteogenesis / Q000502:physiology
keywords: Adult; Cellular differentiation; Neural crest-derived cells; Oral tissues; Osteoblasts