Hard tissue regeneration capacity of apical pulp derived cells (APDCs) from human tooth with immature apex

Recent studies indicate that dental pulp is a new source of adult stem cells. The human tooth with an immature apex is a developing organ, and the apical pulp of this tooth may contain a variety of progenitor/stem cells, which participate in root formation. We investigated the hard tissue regeneration potential of apical pulp derived cells (APDCs) from human tooth with an immature apex. APDCs cultured with a mineralization-promoting medium showed alkaline phosphatase activity in porous hydroxyapatite (HA) scaffolds. The composites of APDCs and HA were implanted subcutaneously in immunocompromised rats and harvested at 12 weeks after implantation. In histological analysis, the APDCs/HA composites exhibited bone- and dentine-like mineralized tissues in the pore areas of HA. This study suggests that the human tooth with an immature apex is an effective source of cells for hard tissue regeneration.