Chemotactic response of fibroblasts to root surface components in wound healing following flap surgery

The purpose of this study was two-fold; first to investigate the chemotactic response of periodontal cells to root surface components during wound healing following flap surgery; second, to investigate the chemoattractive effect of the root components on cell migration. Cells were obtained by culturing cells from monkey periodontal tissues and rat calvarial cells. Root surface components were obtained from teeth extracted at 4, 7, 10 and 14 days after flap surgery. The chemotactic response of the isolated cells to root surface components was quantitated by an in vitro assay using a 48 well microchemotaxis chamber. The effect of root components or other growth factors on the cell migration was evaluated using a three-dimensional gel system. Cemental components produced a strong chemotactic response for gingival fibroblasts, alveolar bone cells and rat calvarial cells. Kinetics of the chemotactic potential of cementum was characterized by an initial increase (up to 7 days after surgery), a transient decline (at 10 days after surgery) and a second increase (at 14 days after surgery). Cemental components obtained 7 days after surgery most profoundly facilitated invasion of gingival fibroblasts with comparable effects induced by PDGF and TGF-beta. These results suggest that cemental components influence the chemotactic migration of gingival fibroblasts at the initial stage of wound healing, and therefore, cementum plays an important role in periodontal regeneration.