TGF-beta stimulates glial-like differentiation in murine dental follicle precursor cells (mDFPCs)

Dental stem cells such as dental follicle precursor cells (DFPCs) are capable of neural-like differentiation. However, compared to neuroectodermal progenitor cells such as murine retinal progenitor cells (mRPCs) they show only a limited capacity for glial cell differentiation. In this study we tested the influence of cell signaling on glial differentiation of mDFPCs. These cells were treated with inhibitors and activators of the Sonic hedgehog-, the Wnt/beta-Catenin-, and the TGF-beta-pathway. After incubation only an activation of the TGF-beta-pathway showed a remarkable glial-like cell differentiation. In contrast gene expression of neural cell markers was not regulated. In conclusion, TGF-beta improved glial-like, but not neural-like, differentiation of mDFPCs.