Dental Follicle Cells: Roles in Development and Beyond

Stem Cells International, 2019 · DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/9159605 · Published: September 15, 2019

Simple Explanation

Dental follicle cells (DFCs) are progenitor cells surrounding the tooth germ, crucial for forming cementum, periodontal ligament, and alveolar bone during tooth development. DFCs can differentiate into various cell types like osteoblasts, adipocytes, and neuron-like cells, making them valuable for clinical applications. DFCs are expected to be applied in other tissues such as spinal cord defects (SCD), cardiomyocyte destruction.

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

Not specified

Evidence Level

Review

Key Findings

1
DFCs robustly expressed parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTHrP) during tooth root formation and after tooth eruption, and PTHrP+ DFCs differentiated into PDLCs, alveolar cryptal bone osteoblasts, and cementoblasts in acellular cementum
2
DFCs also reprogrammed macrophages into the anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype by secreting paracrine factors TGF-β3 and TSP-1, which ameliorated LPS-induced inflammation.
3
After appropriate isolation procedure and expansion in vitro, a sufficient number of DFCs are expected to obtain

Research Summary

This article reviewed roles of DFCs in tooth development, their properties, and clinical application potentials, thus providing a novel guidance for tissue engineering. The establishment of tooth root morphogenesis and coordination of tooth eruption associated with DFCs were dependent on an array of growth and transcription factors consisting Gli1, NOTCH, WNT, nuclear factor 1 C-type (Nfic), and TGF-β. DFCs, which possess multipotent differentiation ability and excellent immunosuppression capacities, are regarded as an alternative resource for repairing both hard tissue and soft tissue defects.

Practical Implications

Bone Tissue Engineering

DFCs' osteogenic differentiation potential makes them attractive for repairing bone defects caused by periodontal diseases, trauma, or degenerative diseases.

Tooth Root Regeneration

DFCs were mainly studied to apply in tooth root regeneration by mimicking a biophysiological root in vivo and regenerating a functional root/periodontal tissue complex able to support a porcelain crown.

Periodontium Regeneration

DFCs are excellent potential resources for periodontium regeneration and may restore physiological functions of the tooth.

Study Limitations

1
The requirement of donors including the age and health condition of periodontium should be emphasised since they impacted the regenerative properties of stem cells.
2
Age-related cellular changes of DFCs regarding the loss of stemness and differentiation capability are expected to be improved
3
Clinical trials evaluating DFC application in bone or tooth tissue engineering should be carried out to identify the actual feasibility of clinical application.

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