Effects of Morphogen and Scaffold Porogen on the Differentiation of Dental Pulp Stem Cells

Authors

Flavio F. Demarco, Federal University of PelotasFollow
Luciano Casagrande, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul
Zhaocheng Zhang, University of Michigan School of DentistryFollow
Zhihong Dong, University of Michigan School of Dentistry
Sandra Beatriz Chaves Tarquinio, Universidade Federal de PelotasFollow
Benjamin David Zeitlin, University of the PacificFollow
Songtao Shi, University of PennylvaniaFollow
Anthony J. Smith, University of Birmingham School of DentistryFollow
Jacques E. Nör, University of Michigan School of DentistryFollow

ORCiD

Dr. Benjamin D. Zeitlin: 0000-0003-0110-0188

Department

Biomedical Sciences

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Journal of Endodontics

ISSN

0099-2399

Volume

36

Issue

11

DOI

10.1016/j.joen.2010.08.031

First Page

1805

Last Page

1811

Publication Date

Winter 11-1-2010

Abstract

Introduction: Dental pulp tissue engineering is an emerging field that can potentially have a major impact on oral health. However, the source of morphogens required for stem cell differentiation into odontoblasts and the scaffold characteristics that are more conducive to odontoblastic differentiation are still unclear. This study investigated the effect of dentin and scaffold porogen on the differentiation of human dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) into odontoblasts. Methods: Poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) scaffolds were prepared in pulp chambers of extracted human third molars using salt crystals or gelatin spheres as porogen. DPSCs seeded in tooth slice/scaffolds or control scaffolds (without tooth slice) were either cultured in vitro or implanted subcutaneously in immunodefficient mice. Results: DPSCs seeded in tooth slice/scaffolds but not in control scaffolds expressed putative odontoblastic markers (DMP-1, DSPP, and MEPE) in vitro and in vivo. DPSCs seeded in tooth/slice scaffolds presented lower proliferation rates than in control scaffolds between 7 and 21 days (p < 0.05). DPSCs seeded in tooth slice/scaffolds and transplanted into mice generated a tissue with morphological characteristics similar to those of human dental pulps. Scaffolds generated with gelatin or salt porogen resulted in similar DPSC proliferation. The porogen type had a relatively modest impact on the expression of the markers of odontoblastic differentiation. Conclusions: Collectively, this work shows that dentin-related morphogens are important for the differentiation of DPSC into odontoblasts and for the engineering of dental pulp-like tissues and suggest that environmental cues influence DPSC behavior and differentiation potential.

Recommended Citation

Demarco, F. F., Casagrande, L., Zhang, Z., Dong, Z., Tarquinio, S. B., Zeitlin, B. D., Shi, S., Smith, A. J., & Nör, J. E. (2010). Effects of Morphogen and Scaffold Porogen on the Differentiation of Dental Pulp Stem Cells. Journal of Endodontics, 36(11), 1805–1811. DOI: 10.1016/j.joen.2010.08.031
https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/dugoni-facarticles/384