Review of the role of basic fibroblast growth factor in dental tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells

Abstract

Background: Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) plays a crucial role in various biological processes, including cell growth, survival, migration, and differentiation. In stem cell biology, bFGF is employed to maintain stemnessand regulate differentiation. Objectives: To review the role of bFGF in the behavior of stem cells, focusing particularly on human dental tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (DMSCs). Methods: The articles from January 1, 1990 to March 25, 2015 in the PubMed database were searched with assigned key words (dental stem cells and (bFGF or FGF2)). Titles and abstracts of the retrieved articles wereevaluated to identify inclusion criteria. Results: Sixty-five articles were identified from the PubMed database using the assigned keywords. Eighteen articles met the inclusion criteria including: (1) articles published in English, (2) articles describing the effects ofendogenous and exogenous bFGF in cell culture and animal studies, and (3) the cell model used in the study was derived from dental-related tissues, and were employed as the main articles discussed in the present narrative review. Conclusion: bFGF supplementation enhances stem cell marker expression in DMSCs. However, the role of bFGF on osteogenic differentiation by DMSCs remains controversial. Keywords: Basic fibroblast growth factor, dental tissue-derived stem cells, differentiation, stemness