In vitro tooth-shaped scaffold construction by mimicking late bell stage

Neogenesis of osseous and ligamentous interfacial structures is essential for the regeneration of large oral or craniofacial defects. However, current treatment strategies are inadequate in renewing supporting tissues of teeth after trauma, chronic infections or surgical resection. Combined use of 3D scaffolds with stem cells became a promising treatment option for these injuries. Matching different scaffolding materials with different tissues can induce the correct cytokines and the differentiation of cells corresponding to that particular tissue. In this study, a hydroxyapatite (HA) based scaffold was used together with human adipose stem cells (hASCs), human bone marrow stem cells (hBMSCs) and gingival epithelial cells to mimic human tooth dentin-pulp-enamel tissue complexes and model an immature tooth at the late bell stage in vitro. Characteristics of the scaffold were determined via SEM, FTIR, pore size and density measurements. Changes in gene expression, protein secretions and tissue histology resulting from cross-interactions of different dental tissues grown in the system were shown. Classical tooth tissues such as cementum, pulp and bone like tissues were formed within the scaffold. Our study suggests that a HA-based scaffold with different cell lineages can successfully mimic early stages of tooth development and can be a valuable tool for hard tissue engineering.