Strategic Tools in Regenerative and Translational Dentistry

Abstract

Human oral-derived stem cells can be easily obtained from several oral tissues, such as dental pulp, periodontal ligament, from gingiva, or periapical cysts. Due to their differentiation potential, oral-derived mesenchymal stem cells are promising for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. The regenerative ability showed by some oral tissues strongly depends on their sleeping adult stem cell populations that are able to repair small defects and to manage local inflammation. To date, researchers are working on effective and efficient methods to ensure safe and predictable protocols to translate stem cell research into human models. In the last decades, the challenge has been to finally use oral-derived stem cells together with biomaterials or scaffold-free techniques, to obtain strategic tools for regenerative and translational dentistry. This paper aims to give a clear point of view on state of the art developments, with some exciting insights into future strategies.

Human Periapical Cyst-Derived Stem Cells Can Be A Smart “Lab-on-A-Cell” to Investigate Neurodegenerative Diseases and the Related Alteration of the Exosomes’ Content

“…Using q-PCR studies, the presence of transcripts was identified for genes associated with the neuronal phenotype, such as β-III tubulin, and for genes associated with the dopaminergic phenotype, such as tyrosine hydroxylase [58]. Gene expression and levels of protein production in hPCy-MSCs exposed to neurogenic culturing conditions showed a notable increase in neural markers [59].…”

Dental Tissue-Derived Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Their Potential in Therapeutic Application

“…Due to their excellent potential for multil-ineage differentiation, dental MSCs are considered as an ideal source for tissue engineering and regenerative dental medicine. To date, researchers are looking for a feasible, safe, and effective approach for regenerative and translational dentistry [ 16 ]. Three feasible regenerative strategies based on dental MSCs have been proposed to treat dental diseases in clinic ( Figure 2 ).…”

“…Dental MSCs are regarded as ideal cells for dental tissue engineering since they possess a shared embryological origin with craniofacial tissue [ 94 ]. Biocompatible scaffolds provide a favorable 3D microenvironment for stem cells, which regulate proliferation and differentiation [ 16 ]. In regenerative dentistry, current dominating attempts and studies of scaffold-supported tissue engineering include regeneration of dentin, dental pulp, and periodontal tissue and formation of bioroot.…”

“…Two scaffold-free strategies have caught the eye of researchers, which are cell sheets and cell injection. As a unique method of cell processing via culturing in temperature-responsive cell culture dishes or in ascorbic acid, cell sheets have been widely explored and applied in regenerative dentistry [ 16 , 98 ]. PDLSC cell sheets were autologously transplanted into the denuded root surface in a canine model with a one-wall intrabony defect, and periodontal tissue regeneration was remarkably observed with both cementum and PDL fibers after eight weeks [ 99 ].…”

In vitro and in vivo effects of concentrated growth factor on cells and tissues

“…Using stem cells is now shifting to stem cell‐free concept by the administration of stem cell‐derived exosomes or conditioned media (Kusuma, Carthew, Lim, & Frith, ; Phinney & Pittenger, ). New approaches in scaffolds consist of additive manufacturing (3D printing), decellularizing and scaffold‐less strategies like self‐assembling, self‐organizing, and 3D bioprinting (Tatullo, Codispoti, Paduano, Nuzzolese, & Makeeva, ; Thomas et al, ). With great roles of growth factor in cell recruitment, proliferation, differentiation, and tissue repair, new strategic approaches to growth factors delivery are established (Mitchell, Briquez, Hubbell, & Cochran, ; Nyberg, Holmes, Witham, & Grayson, ).…”