ABSTRACT
Dental pulp has intrinsic capacity for self-repair. However, it is not clear whether dental pulp cells can be recruited endogenously for regenerating pulp tissues, including mineralizing into dentin. This work is based on a hypothesis that dental pulp stem/progenitor cells can be induced to migrate by chemotactic cytokines and act as endogenous cell sources for regeneration and mineralization. Dental stem cells (DSCs) were isolated from adult human tooth pulp and seeded on the surfaces of 3D collagen gel cylinders that were incubated in chemically defined media with stromal-derived factor-1α (SDF1), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), or bone morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP7). Significantly more cells were recruited into collagen gel by SDF1 or bFGF than without cytokines in 7 days, whereas BMP7 had little effect on cell recruitment. BMP7, however, was highly effective, equally to dexamethasone, in orchestrating mineralization of cultured DSCs. Cell membrane receptors for SDF1, bFGF, and BMP7 were up-regulated in treated DSCs. Upon in vivo delivery, bFGF induced re-cellularization and re-vascularization in endodontically treated human teeth implanted into the dorsum of rats. Thus, endogenous dental pulp cells, including stem/progenitor cells, may be recruited and subsequently differentiated by chemotaxis of selective cytokines in the regeneration of dental pulp.
Subject(s)
Adult Stem Cells/physiology , Chemokine CXCL12/pharmacology , Chemotaxis/drug effects , Dental Pulp/cytology , Fibroblast Growth Factor 2/pharmacology , Regeneration/drug effects , Adolescent , Adult , Adult Stem Cells/drug effects , Adult Stem Cells/metabolism , Analysis of Variance , Animals , Bone Morphogenetic Protein 7/pharmacology , Bone Morphogenetic Protein Receptors/biosynthesis , Calcification, Physiologic , Cell Culture Techniques , Cell Differentiation/drug effects , Cell Movement/drug effects , Collagen , Dental Pulp Necrosis/drug therapy , Endpoint Determination , Female , Humans , Male , Neovascularization, Physiologic , Rats , Receptors, CXCR4/biosynthesis , Receptors, Fibroblast Growth Factor/biosynthesis , Stem Cell Transplantation , Subcutaneous Tissue , Tissue Scaffolds , Tooth, Nonvital/drug therapyABSTRACT
Odontogenic keratocyst displaying foci of cartilaginous metaplasia in the connective tissue wall has been previously reported but is considered rare. We report a case of a 66-year-old man with an odontogenic keratocyst of the mandible. Benign-appearing metaplastic cartilage was observed in the wall of this cyst, as well as in the recurrence. A benign clinical course is documented, and a review of the literature detailing 6 previously reported cases is presented.
