Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 10, 2026
Accessing the Cytotoxicity and Cell Response to Biomaterials
Published on: July 8, 2021
[Growth ability of human dental pulp cells on three bioactive scaffolds]
Qiang-wei Wei1, Yan-mei Dong, Xiao-feng Chen
1Department of Cariology and Endodontology, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, China.
Objective:
To investigate the proliferation and differentiation of the human dental pulp cells (hDPCs) on the bioactive scaffolds.
Methods:
Primary HDPCs were harvested from impacted third molars of healthy adult individuals (18-25 years of age) by enzyme digestion, expanded and cultured. The cells used for this investigation were the 4 th passage. Immunohistochemical methods were used to verify that the cells were dental pulp cells. The expression of stromal precursor antigen-1 (STRO-1) was determined by flow cytometry. Three different types of scaffolds were used: collagen (COL), collagen / bioglass (COL-BG) and collagen / bioglass / polycaprolactone (COL-BG-PCL). Cell proliferation on the scaffolds was determined using a MTT assay at hour 6, on days 1, 3, 5, 7, 14 and 21. On day 14, the scaffolds were stained with the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining kit.
Results:
The tested cells had STRO-1 positive cells. The proliferation of HDPCs was significantly higher on the COL-BG scaffold and COL-BG-PCL scaffold as compared with COL scaffold (P<0.05). Especially on days 14 and 21, the optical density value of bioglass composite scaffold were 5 times that of the COL scaffold. The ALP positive staining area was observed more extensively on the COL-BG scaffold and COL-BG-PCL scaffold than on the COL scaffold.
Conclusion:
As comparison with the COL scaffold, HDPCs' proliferation and differentiation present more activity on the COL-BG and COL-BG-PCL scaffolds.
