Phenotypic comparison of periodontal ligament cells in vivo and in vitro

The mammalian periodontal ligament contains heterogeneous populations of connective tissue cells, the precise function of which is poorly understood. Despite close proximity to bone and the application of high amplitude physical forces, cells in the periodontal ligament (PL) are capable of expressing regulatory factors that maintain PL width during adult life. The study of PL homeostasis and PL cell differentiation requires culture and phenotypic methods for precise characterization of PL cell populations, in particular those cells with an inherently osteogenic program. Currently it is unknown if cells cultured from the PL are phenotypically similar to the parental cells that are present in the tissues. We have compared the phenotype of cells in vivo with cells derived from the PL and expanded in vitro to assess the general validity of in vitro models for the study of phenotypic regulation in vivo. Rat PL cells were isolated by either scraping the root of the extracted first mandibular molars (Group A), or by scraping the alveolar socket following extraction of first mandibular molars (Group B), or by obtaining a mixture of cells after disaggregating a block of tissue consisting of first mandibular molar, PL and the surrounding alveolar bone (Group C). Cultured cells at confluence were fixed and immunostained for alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA), osteopontin (OPN), alkaline phosphatase (AP), or bone sialoprotein (BSP). For in vivo assessments, frontal sections of rat first mandibular molar were immunostained for alpha-SMA, OPN, AP and BSP. We examined osteogenic differentiation of cultured PL cell cultures by bone nodule-forming assays. In vivo and at all examined sites, > 68% of PL cells were immunostained for AP; approximately 50% and approximately 51% for OPN and alpha-SMA (p = 0.3), respectively, while only approximately 8% were positively stained for BSP (p < 0.01). Analysis of cultured PL cells in Groups A, B and C showed 54%, 53%, and 56% positive staining for alpha-SMA respectively; 51%, 56%, 54% for OPN; 66%, 70%, 69% for AP and 2.2%, 1.4% and 2.8% for BSP. The mean percentage of PL cells in situ stained for the different markers was similar to that of cultured PL cells (Group A approximately Group B approximately Group C in situ for p > 0.2) except for BSP which was 3 to 4 fold higher in vitro (p < 0.01). PL cell cultures treated with dexamethasone showed mineralized tissue formation for all groups (A, B, C), but no mineralized tissue formation was detected in the absence of dexamethasone. As PL cells express quantitatively similar phenotypes in vitro and in vivo, we conclude that the in vitro models used here for assessment of PL cell differentiation appear to be appropriate and are independent of the cell sampling method. Further, dexamethasone-dependent progenitors are present both on the root and bone-related sides of the PL.