Alginate/Hydroxyapatite-Based Nanocomposite Scaffolds for Bone Tissue Engineering Improve Dental Pulp Biomineralization and Differentiation

Figure 5

Gene expression profiles of differentiation- and mineralization-associated marker genes in dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) in the presence of alginate/hydroxyapatite scaffolds. Graphs represent the relative gene expression of BMP2 (a), RUNX2 (b), and Osterix (SP7) (c) in DPSCs over the various experimental conditions. Data are expressed as fold increase on relative mRNA levels of DPSCs cultivated in growth medium not enriched with differentiation agents. (a) 14 d scaffold + DM versus DPSCs; 7 d DPSCs + DM versus DPSCs. 7 d scaffold versus DPSCs; 1, 3, and 7 d scaffold + DM versus DPSCs. (b) 21 d scaffold versus DPSCs; 3 and 21 d scaffold + DM versus DPSCs. (c) 28 d scaffold versus DPSCs. scaffold + DM versus DPSCs. Scaffold = DPSC-laden scaffolds; scaffold + DM = DPSC-laden scaffolds in the presence of differentiation medium.

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