Chondrogenic potential of stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth in vitro and in vivo

Objective. The aim of this study was to investigate the chondrogenic potential of stem cells from human exfoliated teeth (SHED). Materials and methods. SHED cultures were isolated from human exfoliated deciduous teeth. Colony-forming capacity, odonto/osteogenic and adipogenic potential were measured. SHED were cultured for 2 weeks in chondrogenic differentiation medium containing dexamethasone, insulin, ascorbate phosphate, TGF-beta 3 and bFGF. Toluidine blue staining and safranin O staining were used for chondrogenesis analysis. The related markers, type II collagen and aggrecan, were also investigated using immunohistochemistry. SHED were seeded onto the beta-TCP scaffolds and transplanted into the subcutaneous space on the back of nude mice. The transplants were recovered at 2, 4 and 8 weeks post-transplantation for analysis. Results. SHED showed colony-forming capacity, odonto/osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation capacity. Chondrogenic differentiation was confirmed by toluidine blue staining, safranin O staining, type II collagen and aggrecan immunostaining. After in vivo transplantation, SHED recombined with beta-TCP scaffolds were able to generate new cartilage-like tissues. Conclusions. The findings demonstrate the chondrogenic differentiation capacity of SHED both in vitro and in vivo models, suggesting the potential of SHED in cartilage tissue engineering.