Gingival Stem Cells Can Create New Tissue

Researchers believe that the unique, soft mass presented by gingival tissue may actually hold stem cells that can help regenerate their own gingival cells. 

According to researchers from the Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology, Ostrow School of Dentistry, and the University of Southern California, researchers demonstrated that around 90 percent of mesenchymal stem cells (GMSCs) are derived from cranial neural crest cells, and 10 percent from the mesoderm.

Yet the study notes that in comparison, those with mesoderm MSCs, CNCC-derived GMSCs show the capacity to differentiate into neural cells and chondrocytes that model the cells.

When researchers transplanted these cells into mice with dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis, N-GMSCs showed superior effects in ameliorating inflammatory related disease phenotype in comparison with the M-GMSC treatment group, according to the a press release.

"The tooth and surrounding tissues are a rich source of stem cells, and this JDR manuscript demonstrates that gingivae contain highly proliferative stem cells from two different embryonic origins and that these cells exhibit distinct behaviors," said JDR Associate Editor Jacques Nör, via the release. "These results suggest that gingivae, an easily accessible tissue, are an attractive source for stem cells that can be used in tissue regeneration."

The study authors note that further research is required in order to better understand the interaction between the neural crest cell derived and mesoderm derived gingivae mesenchymal stem cells in regards to their healing abilities.

More information regarding the study can be found in the Journal of Dental Research.