Aim of the Study: Tissue regeneration therapy using stem cells is becoming the state of the art for dental treatment. The present study aimed to use adipose tissue-derived stem cells for odontogenic differentiation, as a more abundant replacement for dental pulp stem cells, using 3 different media.
Material and Methods: Cryopreserved cell lines of adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ATDSCs) at 3rd passage were used in the study. These cells were characterized using flow cytometric analysis for CD90, CD105, CD34 and CD45 and MTT assay was used to determine the best concentration of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles should be used in the study. Then, these cells were grouped into 3 groups: Group 1 the cells incubated in growth medium ( served as a control negative), Group 2 the cells incubated in odontogenic medium, while group 3 was grown in odontogenic medium modified with Hydroxyapatite nanoparticles powder. The difference in cells differentiation and production of calcified materials was measured after one and two weeks between the three groups. This was achieved by using mineralization test and RT-PCR for odontogenic differentiation genes which are dentin sialophosphoprotein (DSPP), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and dentin matrix phosphoprotein1 (DMP1).
Results: Group 3 had the better odontogenic differentiation capacity among the other groups as it showed a significant increase in both production of mineralized nodules and odontogenic genes expression.
Conclusion: Adipose tissue-derived stem cells had an odontogenic differentiation capacity especially in presence of Hydroxyapatite nanoparticles and can be used as an easy alternative and more abundant source for dental pulp stem cells.