Osteogenic differentiation capacity of porcine dental follicle progenitor cells.

This study examined the effect of extracellular matrix (ECM) on the osteogenic differentiation capacity and osteogenesis of dental follicle cells. Single cell-derived porcine dental follicle cells (DFC-I) obtained at the early stage of crown formation in tooth were subcultured and characterized using periodontal ligament cells (PDLC) and bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSC) as comparison cell populations. The effect of ECM constituents including collagen type I, fibronectin, laminin, and collagen type IV on the differentiation of DFC-1 into osteogenic-lineage cells was evaluated in vitro. In addition, the DFC-1, PDLC, and BMSC populations were compared for osteogenic capacity in vitro by Alizarin red staining and in vivo by transplantation. DFC-I showed different features from PDLC and BMSC. Different components of ECM had different effects on the differentiation of DFC-1 into osteogenic-lineage cells in vitro. Alkaline phosphatase activity and matrix mineralization as early- and late-stage markers of osteogenesis, respectively, supported the differentiation of DFC-1 into osteogenic-related cells in vitro. All three cell types showed equivalent osteogenic capacity in vivo at 4 weeks postoperatively. There were no statistically significant differences among the cell populations with respect to capacity for bone formation. These results suggest a potential application for dental follicle cells in bone-tissue engineering.