Differentiation of Dental Pulp Stem Cells into Neuron-Like Cells in Serum-Free Medium

Abstract EN

Dental pulp tissue contains dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs).

Dental pulp cells (also known as dental pulp-derived mesenchymal stem cells) are capable of differentiating into multilineage cells including neuron-like cells.

The aim of this study was to examine the capability of DPSCs to differentiate into neuron-like cells without using any reagents or growth factors.

DPSCs were isolated from teeth extracted from 6- to 8-week-old mice and maintained in complete medium.

The cells from the fourth passage were induced to differentiate by culturing in medium without serum or growth factors.

RT-PCR molecular analysis showed characteristics of Cd146+, Cd166+, and Cd31− in DPSCs, indicating that these cells are mesenchymal stem cells rather than hematopoietic stem cells.

After 5 days of neuronal differentiation, the cells showed neuron-like morphological changes and expressed MAP2 protein.

The activation of Nestin was observed at low level prior to differentiation and increased after 5 days of culture in differentiation medium, whereas Tub3 was activated only after 5 days of neuronal differentiation.

The proliferation of the differentiated cells decreased in comparison to that of the control cells.

Dental pulp stem cells are induced to differentiate into neuron-like cells when cultured in serum- and growth factor-free medium.