Long-term cryopreservation of dental stem cells

Cryopreservation is a procedure of a long-term storage of cells and/or tissues at a temperature that prevents cell divisions and metabolic processes. Due to ability to self-renewal and differentiation into more specialised cells, stem cells may be helpful in repairing of other damaged organs or tissues. Cryopreservation allows the frozen genetic material to maintain its biological properties for a long time. Therefore, there is a real chance for some samples to be used in the future therapy of the pathological conditions that at present remain incurable because of the current state of knowledge. The purpose of this review is to describe the modern methods of extraction, preservation, and storage of dental stem cells at low temperatures in particular procedure of collecting and transporting tissues intended for freezing, precise characteristics of stem cells of dentary origin and methods of their isolation using Enzymatic Digestion and Spontaneous Outgrowth. In the paper are also presented technical details of the protocols of rapid rate freezing, controlled rate milling and freezing in a magnetic field (magnetic freezing) which provides precise information about procedures of thawing cells and unfavourable effect of negative temperature on the biological properties of stem cells. Dental tissues may constitute a rich source of stem cells. The inexpensive, simple and quick procedure of their extraction is minimally invasive and does not pose a threat to the donor's organism. Transferring autologous cells within the same organism does not present a potential risk of transplant rejection and thereof does not raise ethical controversies. Laboratory procedures including cell preparation, its characteristics and genetic features, basics on the process of freezing, thawing, as well as quality control essentials have been also outlined.