Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 6
Multifaceted Neuro-Regenerative Activities of Human
Dental Pulp Stem Cells for Functional Recovery after
Spinal Cord Injury
Akihito Yamamoto, Kohki Matsubara, Kiyoshi Sakai,
Fumiya Kano and Minoru Ueda
Additional information is available at the end of the chapter
http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/58906
1. Introduction
Spinal cord injury (SCI) often leads to persistent functional deficits, due to loss of neurons and
glia and to limited axonal regeneration after injury. Recently, three independent groups have
reported that transplantation of human adult dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) and stem cells
from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHEDs), into the acute, sub-acute or chronic phase of
rat or mouse SCI resulted in marked recovery of hindlimb locomotor functions. This review
summarizes the primary characteristics of human dental pulp stem cells and their therapeutic
benefits for SCI treatment. Experimental data from a number of preclinical studies suggests
that pulp stem cells may promote functional recovery after SCI through multifaceted neuro-
regenerative activities.
2. Dental pulp stem cells
Humans have two sets of teeth, 20 deciduous and 32 permanent ones. In the center of each
tooth, there is a cavity pulp chamber, which is filled with soft connective tissue called dental
pulp (Nanci and Ten Cate, 2003) (Fig.1). The major components of dental pulp are odontoblasts,
fibroblasts, immune cells, extracellular matrix, blood vessels and nerve fibers. The pulp tissues
are connected with systemic network through the apical foramen; this provides nutrition and
sensation for responding to the external stimuli. Human adult dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs)
and stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHEDs) are self-renewing stem cells
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