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Thy-1-positive cells in the subodontoblastic layer possess high potential to differentiate into hard tissue-forming cells

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Abstract

The cells of the subodontoblastic cell-rich layer in dental pulp are speculated to contain odontoblast progenitor cells because of their positional relationship with odontoblasts as well as their high alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity. However, it has yet to be determined whether these cells have the ability to differentiate into odontoblastic cells. In the present study, we firstly found that the majority of cells in the subodontoblastic layer expressed Thy-1, a cell-surface marker of stem and progenitor cells. Then, we evaluated the capacity of Thy-1 high- and low-expressing (Thy-1high and Thy-1low) cells separated from rat dental pulp cells by use of a fluorescence-activated cell sorter to differentiate into hard tissue-forming cells in vitro and in vivo. Following stimulation with bone morphogenetic protein-2, Thy-1high cells in vitro showed accelerated induction of ALP activity and formation of alizarin red-positive mineralized matrix compared with Thy-1low cells. Furthermore, subcutaneous implantation of Thy-1high cells efficiently induced the formation of bone-like matrix. These results collectively suggest that Thy-1-positive dental pulp cells localized in the subodontoblastic layer had the ability to differentiate into hard tissue-forming cells, and thus these cells may serve as a source of odontoblastic cells.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Dr. L. W. Fisher (National Institute of Dental Research, National Institute of Health) and Dr. W. T. Butler (University of Texas-Houston Health Science Center) for kindly providing the antibodies against BSP and DSP, respectively. We are also grateful to PhoenixBio Co. for providing the GFP-transgenic rats. This work was supported by a grant-in-aid for scientific research from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology of Japan.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Oral Histology, Matsumoto Dental University, 1780 Gobara Hirooka, Shiojiri, Nagano, 399-0781, Japan

    Akihiro Hosoya, Toru Hiraga, Akira Yukita & Hiroaki Nakamura

  2. Institute for Dental Science, Matsumoto Dental University, 1780 Gobara Hirooka, Shiojiri, Nagano, 399-0781, Japan

    Tadashi Ninomiya

  3. Division of Cariology, Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, Department of Oral Health Science, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, 5274 Gakkocho-dori 2-bancho, Chuo-ku, Niigata, 951-8514, Japan

    Kunihiko Yoshiba & Nagako Yoshiba

  4. Division of Bioimaging Sciences, Center for Molecular Medicine, Jichi Medical University, 3311-1 Yakushiji, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan

    Masafumi Takahashi

  5. Research Center for Human and Environmental Sciences, Department of Instrumental Analysis, Shinshu University, 3-1-1 Asahi, Matsumoto, Nagano, 390-8621, Japan

    Susumu Ito

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  1. Akihiro Hosoya
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Correspondence to Akihiro Hosoya.

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Hosoya, A., Hiraga, T., Ninomiya, T. et al. Thy-1-positive cells in the subodontoblastic layer possess high potential to differentiate into hard tissue-forming cells. Histochem Cell Biol 137, 733–742 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00418-012-0928-1

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