Abstract
Epigenetic regulation, mainly involving DNA methylation, histone modification, and noncoding RNAs, affects gene expression without modifying the primary DNA sequence and modulates cell fate. Mesenchymal stem cells derived from dental pulp, also called dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs), exhibit multipotent differentiation capacity and can promote various biological processes, including odontogenesis, osteogenesis, angiogenesis, myogenesis, and chondrogenesis. Over the past decades, increased attention has been attracted by the use of DPSCs in the field of regenerative medicine. According to a series of studies, epigenetic regulation is essential for DPSCs to differentiate into specialized cells. In this review, we summarize the mechanisms involved in the epigenetic regulation of the fate of DPSCs.
Highlights
Epigenetics, defined as “the study of changes in gene function that are mitotically and/or meiotically heritable and that do not entail a change in DNA sequence” [1], has gradually become a research hotspot in recent decades
dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs), DFSCs, and periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) share almost similar DNA methylation patterns, some genes related to the development of the skeletal system, like SMAD3 and CD109, exhibit differential methylation profiles leading to variation in osteogenic capacities [97]
DPSCs have gained increased attention in the field of regenerative medicine owing to their multilineage differentiation potential and easy accessibility
Summary
Epigenetics, defined as “the study of changes in gene function that are mitotically and/or meiotically heritable and that do not entail a change in DNA sequence” [1], has gradually become a research hotspot in recent decades. Since DPSCs were first isolated in 2000 by Gronthos et al [8], numerous studies have identified the self-renewal and multilineage differentiation ability of DPSCs, such as odontogenic, angiogenic, osteogenic, neurogenic, myogenic, adipogenic, and chondrogenic differentiation [9,10,11]. These unique characteristics make DPSCs applicable in regenerative medicine [12]. According to a series of studies, epigenetic regulation is closely related to DPSC fate [11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20]. This literature reviews the general characteristics, immunophenotypes, and multipotential differentiation of DPSCs and current progress on the epigenetic regulation in the determination of DPSC fate
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
