Review Article

Dental Pulp Stem Cell Heterogeneity: Finding Superior Quality “Needles” in a Dental Pulpal “Haystack” for Regenerative Medicine-Based Applications

Table 1

Summary of the cell surface, senescence and other relevant gene, protein and metabolic markers implicated in distinguishing high stemness, proliferative, multi-potency and other regenerative characteristics between hDPSC sub-populations.

MarkerAssociated properties of hDPSC sub-populationsReferences

STRO-1+High colony forming efficiency, high proliferation, multi-potent[59, 80, 83, 85]
CD146+High colony forming efficiency, high proliferation, multi-potent, high odontogenic differentiation[43, 59, 80, 86]
CD146-High neurogenic differentiation[87]
CD117+ (c-kit+)High odontogenic, osteogenic, neurogenic, adipogenic, myogenic and angiogenic differentiation[50, 8184, 94]
CD34+Low stemness, low proliferation, high osteogenic, neurogenic and angiogenic differentiation[50, 8184]
CD271+Low proliferation, bi-/uni-potent, high neurogenic differentiation[52, 53, 88]
CD271-High colony forming efficiency, high proliferation, multi-potent[52, 53, 64, 65, 83]
CD105+High proliferation, high migration, multi-potent, high angiogenic differentiation[89]
CD51+ (CD140α+)High odontogenic, osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation[64]
SSEA-4+High proliferation, multi-potent, high osteogenic, chondrogenic and neurogenic differentiation, low adipogenic differentiation[58]
BMI-1-High stemness, high proliferation, low multi-potency[61, 62]
CXCR-4+ (CD186)High colony forming efficiency, high proliferation, multi-potent[57, 91, 92]
PDGFR-β+High proliferation, high odontogenic differentiation[93]
IGF1R+High stemness, high proliferation, multi-potent, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory[94]
VEGFR1highHigh angiogenic differentiation[95]
Long TelomeresHigh proliferation, resistance to senescence, high stemness, multi-potent[53, 103]
Low Oxidative DNA & Protein BiomarkersHigh proliferation, resistance to senescence, high stemness, multi-potent[53, 104]
SOD2highHigh proliferation, resistance to senescence, high stemness, multi-potent[52, 53]
GSTZ1highHigh proliferation, resistance to senescence, high stemness, multi-potent[52, 53]
Mitofilin+High stemness, multi-potent[112]
ALDH-1highHigh stemness, multi-potent[113]
MMP-9highHigh stemness, high proliferation, multi-potent, increased matrix remodelling[116]