LNGFR induction during osteogenesis of human jaw periosteum-derived cells

Isolated jaw periosteum-derived cells (JPCs) comprise a morphologically heterogeneous population. There are no known specific surface markers that are able to distinguish between progenitors and cells of other tissue types. The aim of our study was to identify differentiation markers as predictors of JPC mineralization capacity. JPCs underwent osteogenic differentiation after cultivation in osteogenic medium containing known activators. By FACS analysis, we found the low affinity nerve growth factor receptor (LNGFR-CD271) to be induced during the first five days of osteogenesis and that it was expressed at higher levels in mineralizing JPCs (mJPCs) in comparison to non-mineralizing JPCs (nmJPCs). Similar results were obtained by semi-quantitative immunohistochemical stainings and western blot analyses. Quantitative real-time PCR results showed significantly higher LNGFR and alkaline phosphatase transcript levels in mJPCs compared to nmJPCs. LNGFR is a differentiation marker that distinguishes between mineralizing JPCs and non-mineralizing JPCs during the first phase of osteogenesis and can therefore be considered an early surface marker of osteogenic capacity in vitro.