Identification of Apically Localized Endogenous Dental Pulp Stem Cells
S Yoshida1, E O Maruyama1, W Hsu1,2,3,4,5
1The ADA Forsyth Institute, Somerville, MA, USA.
Journal of Dental Research
|October 18, 2025
Summary
Researchers discovered new dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) at the tooth apex. These Axin2+ DPSCs are key to pulp regeneration and reparative dentin formation after injury, advancing regenerative endodontics.
Area of Science:
- Dentistry
- Regenerative Medicine
- Stem Cell Biology
Background:
- Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) are vital for tooth vitality and regeneration.
- The in situ role of stem cells in pulp and dentin regeneration after injury remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and characterize endogenous DPSCs involved in pulp and dentin regeneration.
- To elucidate the in situ behavior and differentiation potential of these stem cells.
Main Methods:
- Single-cell transcriptomics to profile molar pulp tissue.
- Lineage tracing techniques to track DPSC behavior in vivo.
- Transplantation of isolated DPSCs into mouse kidney capsules.
Main Results:
- Identified endogenous Axin2+ DPSCs at the apex of mouse molars.
- Axin2+ DPSCs differentiate into pulp cells and odontoblasts, contributing to pulp formation and maturation.
- DPSCs rapidly proliferate upon injury, promoting pulp healing and reparative dentin formation.
- Transplanted DPSCs formed ectopic pulp tissue and reparative dentin.
Conclusions:
- Novel DPSCs identified at the tooth apex offer new insights into pulp biology.
- These findings provide a foundation for developing regenerative endodontic therapies.
- Understanding DPSC mechanisms can lead to new therapeutic strategies for pulp regeneration.
Related Concept Videos
01:06Multipotency and Niche of Bulge Stem Cell
4.2K
A hair follicle or HF is a small part of the skin that produces the hair shaft. Paul Gerson Unna was the first to observe a bulge in the human hair follicle's outer root sheath (ORS). The bulge is present between the sebaceous gland and the arrector pili muscle and is the niche for hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs). The bulge is also a niche for melanocyte stem cells, and their loss results in graying of hair. The HFSCs express Sox9 and Lhx2, which help them maintain stemness and prevent...
4.2K
01:17Stem Cell Culture
6.0K
Stem cell research aims to find ways to use stem cells to regenerate and repair cellular damage. Over time, most adult cells undergo the wear and tear of aging and lose their ability to divide and repair themselves. Stem cells do not display a particular morphology or function. Adult stem cells, which exist as a small subset of cells in most tissues, keep dividing and can differentiate into a number of specialized cells generally formed by that tissue. These cells enable the body to renew and...
6.0K