Culture of dental follicle cells from human molars with tissue engineering and synthesis of I type collagen

doi:10.3321/j.issn:1673-8225.2003.32.007

Abstract：AIM:The dental follicle is important for the eruption of teeth.The objective of this study is to culture the human dental follicle cells in vitro and research the characterization of these cells to investigate the effects of dental follicle in the teeth eruption. METHODS: The dental follicles were dissected from the lower third impacted molars (uneruption), and then cultured in a medium. The cultured cells grew to confluence and were through 3 passages before experimentation. They were observed with microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Immunohistochemical staining technique and immunofluorescence staining showed the expression of vimentin and type Ι collagen respectively in cultured human dental follicle cells and localization of them in cytoplasm. RESULTS: Dental follicle cells cultured were elongate shape, exhibited fibroblastic characteristics, and scanning electron microscopy revealed that there were a lot of granules in the surface of cultured cells.The expression of type Ι collagen and vimentin showed positive; the localization of type Ι collagen and vimentin were in the cytoplasm surrounding of nucleus. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that the human dental follicle cells can be cultured in vitro, exhibit fibroblastic characteristics, derive from intermediate filaments, and synthesize type Ι collagen.