The characteristics of epithelial cell rests of Malassez during tooth eruption of development mice

Extracellular vesicles derived from dental follicle stem cells regulate tooth eruption by inhibiting osteoclast differentiation

Tooth eruption as a crucial part in tooth development and regeneration is accompanied by ongoing osteogenesis and osteoclast activity. The dental follicle (DF) surrounding the developing tooth harbors dental follicle stem cells (DFSCs) which play a crucial role in maintaining bone remodeling. However, the mechanisms through which they regulate the balance between osteogenesis and osteoclast activity during tooth eruption remain poorly understood. Notably, extracellular vesicles (EVs) in bone homeostasis are considered essential. Our study revealed that the DFSCs could modulate tooth eruption by inhibiting osteoclast differentiation via EVs. Further investigation showed that EVs from DFSCs could inhibit osteoclast differentiation through the ANXA1-PPARγ-CEBPα pathway. Animal experiments indicated that EVs from DFSCs and the cargo ANXA1 affected tooth eruption. In summary, this study suggests the critical role of the dental follicle in tooth eruption through EVs, which may provide therapeutic targets for abnormal tooth eruption and effective approaches for the eruption of regenerated teeth.

Novel trends, challenges and new perspectives for enamel repair and regeneration to treat dental defects

Dental enamel is the hardest tissue in the human body, providing external protection for the tooth against masticatory forces, temperature changes and chemical stimuli. Once enamel is damaged/altered by genetic defects, dental caries, trauma, and/or dental wear, it cannot repair itself due to the loss of enamel producing cells following the tooth eruption. The current restorative dental materials are unable to replicate physico-mechanical, esthetic features and crystal structures of the native enamel. Thus, development of alternative approaches to repair and regenerate enamel defects is much needed but remains challenging due to the structural and functional complexities involved. This review paper summarizes the clinical aspects to be taken into consideration for the development of optimal therapeutic approaches to tackle dental enamel defects. It also provides a comprehensive overview of the emerging acellular and cellular approaches proposed for enamel remineralization and regeneration. Acellular approaches aim to artificially synthesize or re-mineralize enamel, whereas cell-based strategies aim to mimic the natural process of enamel development given that epithelial cells can be stimulated to produce enamel postnatally during the adult life. The key issues and current challenges are also discussed here, along with new perspectives for future research to advance the field of regenerative dentistry.

Epithelial rests of Malassez: from latent cells to active participation in orthodontic movement

Introduction:

The epithelial rests of Malassez (ERM) represent a group of cells in the periodontal ligament classically consisting of latent or quiescent structures associated with pathological processes. However, recent evidence shows that these structures cannot be considered only as cellular debris. The ERM is a major tissue structure, with functions in maintaining the homeostasis of periodontal tissue, including the maintenance of orthodontic movement.

Objective:

The present literature review aims at presenting the potential functions of ERM, with emphasis on orthodontic movement and the functional structure of the periodontium.

Conclusion:

ERM cells have a functional activity in modulation of orthodontic movement, trough their potential for differentiation, maintenance functions and the capacity of repairing periodontium.

Hyperlipidemia induced by high-fat diet enhances dentin formation and delays dentin mineralization in mouse incisor

Dyslipidemia has become a serious health problem in children and adolescents worldwide for its high prevalence. Since hard tissues of permanent teeth form mainly during this period and lipids are actively involved in tooth development, the effects of hyperlipidemia on dental tissue formation and mineralization need to be illustrated. In this study, hyperlipidemia model was established in mice fed with high-fat diet (HFD). Micro-CT and histomorphological analyses were performed on the mandibular bones to assess the morphological changes of the mandibular incisor and first molar. After 4 weeks of HFD feeding, mice had significantly elevated serum lipid levels compared with mice fed with control diet. After 8 weeks, the mandibular incisor presented significantly increased dentin thickness and decreased diameter of pulp cavity in HFD-fed mice compared with control diet-fed mice, while its gross morphology and enamel thickness were not altered. In the mandibular first molar, dentin thickness of root did not show difference between the two groups. Histological section showed that mandibular incisor of HFD-fed mice manifested a wider predentin region and a lower mineral apposition rate compared with that of the control mice. In conclusion, hyperlipidemia induced by HFD feeding enhances dentin formation and delays dentin mineralization in the developing mouse incisor.

Hyaluronan and hyaluronan synthases expression and localization in embryonic mouse molars

Hyaluronan (HA) and hyaluronan synthases (HASs) have been shown to play critical roles in embryogenesis and organ development. However, there have not been any studies examining HA and HAS expression and localization during tooth development. The present study was designed to investigate the expression of HA and three isoforms of HASs (HAS1, 2, 3) in embryonic mouse molars. The first mandibular embryonic mouse molars were examined by immunohistochemistry at E11.5, E13.5, E14.5, E16.5, and E18.5. PCR and western blot analyses were performed on RNA and proteins samples from E13.5 to E18.5 tooth germs. At the initial stage (E11.5), HA and HASs were expressed in the dental epithelium but not the underlying dental mesenchyme. HA immunostaining gradually increased in the enamel organ from the bud stage (E13.5) to the late bell stage (E18.5), and HA and HASs were highly expressed in the stellate reticulum and stratum intermedium. HA immunostaining was also enhanced in the dental mesenchyme and its derived tissues, but it was not expressed in the ameloblast and odontoblast regions. The three HAS isoforms had distinct expression patterns, and they were expressed in the dental mesenchyme and odontoblast at various levels. Furthermore, HAS1 and HAS2 expression decreased, while HAS3 expression increased from E13.5 to E18.5. These results suggested that HA synthesized by different HASs is involved in embryonic mouse molar morphogenesis and cytodifferentiation.

Hertwig's Epithelial Root Sheath Fate during Initial Cellular Cementogenesis in Rat Molars

To elucidate the fate of the epithelial root sheath during initial cellular cementogenesis, we examined developing maxillary first molars of rats by immunohistochemistry for keratin, vimentin, and tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase (TNALP) and by TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL). The advancing root end was divided into three sections, which follow three distinct stages of initial cellular cementogenesis: section 1, where the epithelial sheath is intact; section 2, where the epithelial sheath becomes fragmented; and section 3, where initial cellular cementogenesis begins. After fragmentation of the epithelial sheath, many keratin-positive epithelial sheath cells were embedded in the rapidly growing cellular cementum. A few unembedded epithelial cells located on the cementum surface. Dental follicle cells, precementoblasts, and cementoblasts showed immunoreactivity for vimentin and TNALP. In all three sections, there were virtually no cells possessing double immunoreactivity for vimentin-keratin or TNALP-keratin and only embedded epithelial cells showed TUNEL reactivity. Taken together, these findings suggest that: (1) epithelial sheath cells divide into two groups; one group is embedded in the cementum and thereafter dies by apoptosis, and the other survives on the cementum surface as epithelial cell rests of Malassez; and (2) epithelial sheath cells do not undergo epithelial-mesenchymal transition during initial cellular cementogenesis.