Localization of α-smooth muscle actin in osteoblast differentiation during periodontal development

α-Smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) is an actin isoform commonly found within vascular smooth muscle cells. Moreover, α-SMA-positive cells are localized in the dental follicle (DF). DF is derived from alveolar bone (AB), cementum, and periodontal ligament (PDL). Therefore, α-SMA-positive cells in the periodontal tissue are speculated to be a marker for mesenchymal stem cells during tooth development. In particular, the mechanism of osteoblast differentiation is not clear. This study demonstrated the fate of α-SMA-positive cells around the tooth germ immunohistochemically. First, α-SMA- and Runx2-positive localization at embryonic days (E) 13, E14, postnatal days (P) 9, and P15 was demonstrated. α-SMA- and Runx2-positive cells were detected in the upper part of the DF at P1. At P9 and P15, α-SMA-positive cells in the PDL were detected in the upper and lower parts. The positive reaction of Runx2 was also localized in the PDL. Then, the distribution of α-SMA-positive cell progeny at P9 and P15 were clarified using α-SMA-CreERT2/ROSA26-loxP-stop-loxP-tdTomato (α-SMA/tomato) mice. It has known that Runx2-positive cells differentiate into osteoblasts. In this study, some Runx2 and α-SMA-positive cells were localized in the DF and PDL. The lineage-tracing analysis demonstrated that the α-SMA/tomato-positive cells expressing Runx2 or Osterix were detected on the AB surface at P15. α-SMA/tomato-positive cells expressing type I collagen were found in the AB matrix. These results indicate that the progeny of the α-SMA-positive cells in the DF could differentiate into osteogenic cells. In conclusion, α-SMA could be a potential marker of progenitor cells that differentiate into osteoblasts.