Chondrogenesis of periodontal ligament stem cells

Abstract

The periodontal ligament (PDL) is regarded as a promising source of adult stem cells due to its expected effect on periodontal tissue regeneration. Recently, several studies have reported the pluripotent properties of periodontal ligament cells. In this study, we investigated the stem cell properties of PDL cells by inducing chondrogenesis using the growth factors TGF-β3 and BMP-6. Our results consistently showed that PDL cells are mesenchymal stem cells that can undergo chondrogenesis under specific conditions when stimulated with the growth factors. The results of the present study demonstrate the potential of the dental stem cell as a valuable cell source for chondrogenesis, which may be applicable for regeneration of cartilage in the field of tissue engineering.