Review Article

Dental Follicle Cells: Roles in Development and Beyond

Table 1

Comparison of tooth development-related mesenchymal stem cells/progenitor cells.

Proliferation capacityCell surface markersMultipotent differentiation in vivo/in vitroImmunomodulatory propertiesPotential clinical applicationReferences
PositiveNegative

DFCs++++CD9 CD10 CD13 CD29 CD44 CD53 CD56 CD59 CD73 CD90 CD105 CD106 CD146 CD166 CD271 STRO-1 NOTCH-1 HLA-ABC, NANOG SOX2 OCT4, nestin, and beta-III-tubulinCD31 CD34 CD45 CD133Alveolar bone, PDL, cementum, adipocyte, osteoblast, cementoblast/chondrocyte, neuron-like cell cardiomyocyte, and dentin-like tissuesImmunosuppressive properties expressing TLR2, TLR3, and TLR4; increased IL-10, IL-6, TGF-β, and IDO-1; decreased IFN-γ, IL-4, and IL-8; suppressed proliferation of PBMCs; decreased number of CD4+ T cells and increased regulatory T cellsBone defects, tooth root regeneration, periodontal tissue regeneration, and neural tissue regeneration[1116]

DPSCs+++CD9 CD10 CD13 CD29 CD44 CD59 CD73 CD90 CD105 CD146 CD106 CD146 CD166 CD271 STRO-1, TRA1-60, and NANOG SOX2 Oct-4 TRA-1-80-1CD14 CD19 CD24 CD117 CD34 CD45 CD31 CD133Adipocyte, dentin-pulp, bone muscle/odontoblast, myoblast adipocyte, osteoblast, neuron-like cell, cardiomyocyte, and hepatocyte-like cellImmunosuppressive properties increased HGF, TGF-β, PGE-2, IL-6, IDO, and IL-10; decreased IL-4 and IFN-γ; increased number of regulatory T cells; suppressed proliferation of T cells and PBMCs; inducing activated T cells apoptosisBone defects, dentin-pulp repair, and neural tissue regeneration[11, 15, 1721]

PDLSCs++CD9 CD10 CD13 CD29 CD44 CD59 CD73 CD90 CD105 CD106 CD146 CD166 CD271 STRO-1CD11b CD14 CD19 CD34 CD45 CD79α HLA-DRCementum, PDL/chondrocyte, osteoblast, cementoblast, and adipocyte neuron-like cellImmunosuppressive properties expressing TLR2 and TLR4; released IDO, HGF, and TGF-β; suppressed proliferation of PBMCs and reduced induction of TregsTooth root regeneration and periodontal tissue regeneration[14, 15, 18, 2124]

ABMSCs+CD13 CD29 CD44 CD71 CD73 CD90 CD105 CD146 CD166 STRO-1, OCT4 NANOG SOX2, and nestinCD11b CD14 CD19 CD34 CD45 CD31Bone/osteoblast, chondrocyte, and adipocyteExpressing TLR2, 4 5, 7, 1, 10, 8, 3, and 6Bone defect and periodontal regeneration[15, 2529]

SHEDs+++CD29 CD73 CD90 CD105 CD146 CD166 STRO-1, NANOG, and nestinCD14 CD34 CD45Bone dentin-pulp, microvessels/chondrocyte, myocytes, adipocytes, osteoblasts, and neuron-like cellImmunosuppressive properties inhibited Th17 cell differentiation; increased number of Tregs; corrected CD4+ T cell immune imbalance in allergic diseases; increased IL-10 and decreased IL-4 and IFN-γCraniofacial bone defects, dentin-pulp repair, Neural regeneration, and tooth root regeneration[11, 3037]

SCAPs++CD13 CD29 CD49 CD51 CD56 CD61 CD73 CD146 CD90 CD44 CD24 CD106 CD146 CD166 STRO-1, NANOG, and nestinCD14 CD18 CD34 CD45 CD117 CD150Dentin-pulp/osteoblast, adipocyte, odontoblasts, hepatocytes, and neuron-like cellLow immunogenicity inhibited proliferation of T cells; overexpressed Nfic to suppress LPS-initiated innate immune responsesBone regeneration, tooth root regeneration, dentin-pulp repair, neural regeneration and repair, and periodontal regeneration[30, 31, 3841]

GMSCs++CD29 CD44 CD73 CD90 CD105 CD106 CD166 STRO-1, NANOG, and nestinCD14 CD117 CD34 CD45Cartilage, bone, muscle/adipocyte, chondrocyte, osteocyte, and neuron-like cellImmunosuppressive properties expressing TLR1, 4, 5, 7, and 10; inhibited proliferation of T cells, Th17; increasing CD4+ CD25+ FoxP3+ Tregs; releasing IL-6, IDO, IL-10, COX-2, and iNOSCalvarial defects, neural regeneration, and periodontal regeneration[32, 4245]

TGSCsNot reportedCD29 CD73 CD90 CD105 CD166 STRO-1CD14 CD34 CD45 CD133Bone/osteoblast, odontoblast, adipocyte, chondrocyte, and endothelial cellSeldom reportedBone repair and cartilage regeneration[30, 46, 47]

DPSCs: dental pulp stem cells; PDLSCs: periodontal ligament stem cells; ABMSCs: alveolar bone-derived mesenchymal stem cells; SHEDs: stem cells from exfoliated deciduous teeth; SCAPs: stem cells from apical papilla; GMSCs: gingiva-derived mesenchymal stem cells; TGSCs: tooth germ stem cells.