Purified Human Dental Pulp Stem Cells Promote Osteogenic Regeneration

Applications of Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Neural Crest Cells in Craniofacial Skeletal Research

Craniofacial skeletal tissues are composed of tooth and bone, together with nerves and blood vessels. This composite material is mainly derived from neural crest cells (NCCs). The neural crest is transient embryonic tissue present during neural tube formation whose cells have high potential for migration and differentiation. Thus, NCCs are promising candidates for craniofacial tissue regeneration; however, the clinical application of NCCs is hindered by their limited accessibility. In contrast, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are easily accessible in adults, have similar potential for self-renewal, and can differentiate into skeletal tissues, including bones and cartilage. Therefore, MSCs may represent good sources of stem cells for clinical use. MSCs are classically identified under adherent culture conditions, leading to contamination with other cell lineages. Previous studies have identified mouse- and human-specific MSC subsets using cell surface markers. Additionally, some studies have shown that a subset of MSCs is closely related to neural crest derivatives and endothelial cells. These MSCs may be promising candidates for regeneration of craniofacial tissues from the perspective of developmental fate. Here, we review the fundamental biology of MSCs in craniofacial research.

Prospective isolation of resident adult human mesenchymal stem cell population from multiple organs

Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) have the potential to form colonies in culture and reside in adult tissues. Because MSCs have been defined using cells cultured in vitro, discrepancies have arisen between studies concerning their properties. There are also differences between populations obtained using different isolation methods. This review article focuses on recent developments in the identification of novel MSC markers for the in vivo localization and prospective isolation of human MSCs. The prospective isolation method described in this study represents an important strategy for the isolation of MSCs in a short period of time, and may find applications for regenerative medicine. Purified MSCs can be tailored according to their intended clinical therapeutic applications. Lineage tracing methods define the MSC phenotype and can be used to investigate the physiological roles of MSCs in vivo. These findings may facilitate the development of effective stem cell treatments.