Isolation and in vitro Characterization of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Derived from the Pulp Tissue of Human Third Molar Tooth

• Main Authors: Sourena Vahabi, Fahimeh Falahi, Mahsa Shariati, Hamid Nazarian, Mohamadreza Baghaban Eslaminejad
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shiraz University of Medical Sciences 2010-09-01
• Series: Iranian Journal of Medical Sciences
• Subjects: Dental pulp; odontoblast; mesenchymal stem cells; proliferation
• Online Access: http://ijms.sums.ac.ir/files/PDFfiles/35_3_07-Dr.%20Eslaminejad.pdf
• ISSN: 0253-0716; 1735-3688

Background: It is still controversial that the stem cells isolatedfrom human dental pulp meets the criteria for mesenchymalstem cells (MSCs). The aim of the present study wasto examine whether or not they are MSCs, or are distinct stemcells population residing in tooth pulp.Methods: Adherent fibroblastic cells in the culture of pulptissue from human third molars were propagated through severalsuccessive subcultures. Passaged-3 cells with a tendencyto differentiate into odontoblastic cells were used to examinethe key properties of MSCs including typical tripotent differentiationpotential into bone, cartilage and adipose cell lineagesand the expression of typical surface antigens. Moreover,they were examined for growth capacity in culture.Results: Dental pulp stem cells successfully progressed towardsdifferentiation among three skeletal cell lineages. Morethan 90% of the cell population exhibited the expression ofsurface antigens known to be found on mesenchymal lineagessuch as CD105, CD90, CD44, and CD73, while only less than2% expressed endothelial-hematopoietic epitopes includingCD56, CD11b, CD34, CD31, CD33, and CD45. The cells exhibiteda relatively high proliferation capacity with populationdoubling time of about 21.9 hours.Conclusion: The dental pulp stem cells are of MSC population,and may be considered suitable for use in regenerativemedicine, owing to their relatively rapid rate of in vitro propagation.