European Journal of Anatomy

Official Journal of The Spanish Society of Anatomy
Cover Volume 14 - Number 3
Eur J Anat, 14 (3): 121-126 (2010)

A simple method of tooth regeneration by bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in albino rats

Perumal Saraswathi, Sampathkumar Saravanakumar

Department of Anatomy, Saveetha Medical College, Chennai, India.

ABSTRACT The present study explored regeneration of tooth by adult bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells without co-culture of the oral epithelium. One male Wister albino rat (8 w) was used for the preparation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and six male rats (5 w) for stem cell transplantation. One maxillary incisor tooth was extracted and a socket was prepared. Adult bone marrow in femora and tibiae was collected and mesenchymal cells were cultured in minimal essential medium containing 10% heat-inactivated foetal bovine serum and were sub-cultured. Mesenchymal cells had long processes: starshaped and gradually changing to spindleshape and showing a tendency to adhere to tissue culture plastic. The mesenchymal stem cells were transplanted into the prepared sockets with and without scaffold (poly lactic-coglycolic acid). On the 14th day after transplantation, in the rat with the scaffold, radioopacity was observed at the site of transplanted socket. The density of the radio-opaque substance was comparable to that of an adjacent natural tooth. The margins of the stem cell tooth were as well defined as that of an adjacent natural tooth. The stem cell tooth was shorter, but at the third month the root of the unerupted tooth was almost as long as that of a natural tooth. In the rat without the scaffold, the density of the stem-cell tooth was comparable to that of a rat with the scaffold but its length was smaller. The margins of the stem-cell tooth were ill defined as compared to that of a natural tooth. The macroscopic morphology of the stem cell tooth was comparable to that of a natural tooth but was smaller and its consistency was firm, resistant and hard. The apex was pointed, height 5 mm, and its colour was pearly white and it was conical, almost resembling an incisor tooth. Confocal laser scanning microscopy of the stem-cell tooth revealed it to have long processes, enclosing a narrow canal as dentinal tubules and a nucleus as an odontoblast.

Keywords: Bone marrow, Mesenchymal stem cells, Tooth regeneration

European Journal of anatomy
ISSN 2340-311X (Online)