Stem Cells From the Apical Papilla (SCAP) as a Tool for Endogenous Tissue Regeneration

Abstract

Stem cells extracted from developing tissues possibly exhibit not only unique but also superior traits against their developed counterparts. Indeed, stem cells from the apical papilla (SCAP); a unique group of dental stem cells related to developing roots have been shown to be a promising tool for regenerative endodontic procedures and regeneration in general. Studies have characterized the phenotypic traits as well as other regenerative potentials of these cells. Specific sub-populations have been highlighted as well as their neurogenic and angiogenic properties. Nevertheless, in light of the previously discussed features and potential applications of SCAP, there is still much to understand and a lot of information to unravel. The current review will discuss the role of specific markers for detection of different functional populations of SCAP; including CD146 and STRO-1, as well as their true multilineage differentiation potential. In particular, the role of the secretome in association with paracrine signaling in inflammatory microenvironments is also tackled. Additionally, the role of SCAP both in vitro and in vivo during regenerative approaches and in response to different growth factors and biologic scaffolds is highlighted. Finally, this review will shed light on current knowledge regarding the clinical translational potential of SCAP and elucidate possible areas for future research applications.

Viability and Stimulation of Human Stem Cells from the Apical Papilla (hSCAPs) Induced by Silicate-Based Materials for Their Potential Use in Regenerative Endodontics: A Systematic Review

“…[4][5][6]. It has been suggested that MSCs may be present virtually in any vascularized tissue [7], so the expression of the aforementioned markers, indicative of MSC nature, reflect the perivascular location and multilineage differentiation potential of SCAPs [8]. In addition, it has been described that SCAPs are capable of exhibiting a variety of osteo/dentinogenic markers (BSP, DSPP, ALP, Runx2, MEPE) [9][10][11], and reports have shown different degrees of root maturation after disinfection in cases with severely infected pulps in immature teeth [12][13][14].…”

Isolation and Culture of Human Stem Cells from Apical Papilla under Low Oxygen Concentration Highlight Original Properties

“…Compared with dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs), they have a higher expression of telomerase, a superior proliferation rate and dental tissue regeneration capacity [6][7][8]. They express surface markers common to other dental stem cells, like STRO-1, but also a distinctive marker, CD24 [9]. SCAPs also express Survivin, a protein which plays a significant role in cell proliferation [7,10].…”

Therapeutic Functions of Stem Cells from Oral Cavity: An Update

“…Since SCAPs are derived from the immature structure, they express primitive embryonic markers such as Sox2, Oct3/4 and Nanog accompanied with typical MSC markers [81,87]. Among those markers, co-expression of CD146 and STRO-1 is found to be related to early MSCs; indeed, CD146+/STRO-1 + SCAPs exhibit superior colony-forming efficiency with increased cumulative doubling than counterpart [88]. CD24, another marker for the pluripotent population, is regarded as a representative surface marker for SCAPs because of its absence in other dental MSCs [89].…”