ABSTRACT
砄bjective: To study the mineralization and related differential phenotype of human dental papilla cells in vitro . Methods: Human dental papilla cells were primarily cultured with explant technique, the cells of third passage were incubated for a long term in the presence of 10 mmol/L ? glycerophosphate(? GP)and 50 ?g/ml of ascorbic acid (L AA) in DMEM containing 5% FBS. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and osteocalcin(OC) were measured at different culture time. Cell growth was observed under inverted microscope and mineralization was tested with Von Kossa stainning. Results: Cultured papilla cells were growing in multilayer. Cells exposed to ? GP and L AA exhibited higher ALP activity in 14 days and increased OC in 21 days with certain amount of secreted matrix. After 35 days of culture, mineralized tubercles were formed. ALP activity and synthesized OC began to decrease after 42 days of culture. Conclusion: Human dental papilla cells may show odontoblast phenotype in vitro .