Journal
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH
Volume 91, Issue 11, Pages 1383-1393Publisher
WILEY
DOI: 10.1002/jnr.23250
Keywords
dental pulp stem cells; spinal cord injury; stroke; neuroprotection
Categories
Funding
- European Research Council [243261]
- Royal Society URF Award [UF051616, UF090098]
- European Research Council (ERC) [243261] Funding Source: European Research Council (ERC)
- Royal Society [UF090098] Funding Source: Royal Society
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Functional recovery from injuries to the brain or spinal cord represents a major clinical challenge. The transplantation of stem cells, traditionally isolated from embryonic tissue, may help to reduce damage following such events and promote regeneration and repair through both direct cell replacement and neurotrophic mechanisms. However, the therapeutic potential of using embryonic stem/progenitor cells is significantly restricted by the availability of embryonic tissues and associated ethical issues. Populations of stem cells reside within the dental pulp, representing an alternative source of cells that can be isolated with minimal invasiveness, and thus should illicit fewer moral objections, as a replacement for embryonic/fetal-derived stem cells. Here we discuss the similarities between dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) and the endogenous stem cells of the central nervous system (CNS) and their ability to differentiate into neuronal cell types. We also consider in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrating the ability of DPSCs to help protect against and repair neuronal damage, suggesting that dental pulp may provide a viable alternative source of stem cells for replacement therapy following CNS damage. (c) 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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