Abstract
With enormous advancements in the fields of stem biology and tissue engineering, new arenas for translational opportunities of these sciences have now become available. Regenerative medicine applications are becoming increasingly needed as the demand for innovative therapies continues to rise with an aging world population. The dental pulp is a well-vascularized tissue that contains precursors that form the tooth’s most important mineralized structure: dentin. This tissue has also been found to harbor a unique set of mesenchymal stem cells with characteristics similar to or even that surpass the classic bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells. These cells have been collectively called dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs). In this chapter, we will provide a review of the characteristics of these cells and highlight the most important features that make DPSCs candidates for orofacial tissue regeneration as well as regenerative medicine therapeutic agents to treat a variety of diseases particularly neurodegenerative ones. Special emphasis will be put on the angiogenic and neurogenic potential of these cells while exploring the roles of the niche and different side populations. We will also highlight the indispensable importance of DPSCs in the emerging field of regenerative endodontics with special focus on their paracrine effects. Finally, an emanating role of DPSCs in clinical applications of bone tissue engineering will be overviewed mentioning several clinical trials as well as new areas for prospective research.
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