Dental Pulp Stem Cells: Advances to Applications

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

• Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
• Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
• Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
• Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
• Emerging · Emerging topic under active research

Abstract (original English)

Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) have a high capacity for differentiation and the ability to regenerate a dentin/pulp-like complex. Numerous studies have provided evidence of DPSCs' differentiation capacity, such as in neurogenesis, adipogenesis, osteogenesis, chondrogenesis, angiogenesis, and dentinogenesis. The molecular mechanisms and functions of DPSCs' differentiation process are affected by growth factors and scaffolds. For example, growth factors such as basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), nerve growth factor (NGF), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), and bone morphogenic proteins (BMPs) influence DPSC fate, including in differentiation, cell proliferation, and wound healing. In addition, several types of scaffolds, such as collagen, hydrogel, decellularized bioscaffold, and nanofibrous spongy microspheres, have been used to characterize DPSC cellular attachment, migration, proliferation, differentiation, and functions. An appropriate combination of growth factors and scaffolds can enhance the differentiation capacity of DPSCs, in terms of optimizing not only dental-related expression but also dental pulp morphology. For a cell-based clinical approach, focus has been placed on the tissue engineering triad [cells/bioactive molecules (growth factors)/scaffolds] to characterize DPSCs. It is clear that a deep understanding of the mec

Evidence level

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

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