Abstract

Stem cells play a crucial role in the physiology of dental tissues. Today six different types of stem cells/progenitor cells have been isolated and characterized from dental tissues: dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs), stem cells from apical papilla (SCAP), periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs), stem cells from exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED), dental follicle stem cells (DFPCs), and periapical cyst mesenchymal stem cells (hPCy-MSCs). These dental stem cells (DSCs) are undifferentiated mesenchymal stem cells characterized by their self-renewal capacity and the ability to differentiate in osteoblasts, adipocytes, and chondrocytes. The dental tissue-derived stem cells physiologically possess potent capacities to differentiate into odontogenic cells; however, their exceptional regenerative ability can be applied not only in dentistry but also in different fields of regenerative medicine such as bone regeneration. Although they are all derived from dental tissues, the properties of these DSC populations such as differentiation potential and expression of specific markers are minimally different according to the site from which they are isolated. These mesenchymal stem cells participate also in the regeneration of nontooth tissues, such as nerve, muscle, bone, liver, and pancreas. Consequently, these DSCs have been used for tissue engineering studies in large animal models to assess their potential in preclinical applications. The MSCs contained within dental tissues are easily accessible stem cells and the isolation of MSCs from these sources may still be convenient because it requires easy surgical methods with lack of morbidity at the donor site. In this regard, DSCs may represent a good cell source that could be a benefit in cellular therapy for several regenerative medicine applications. In this chapter, we will summarize research findings regarding the area of dental stem cell biology applied to regenerative medicine and dentistry in light of potential clinical applications of these cells in future.

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