Three-dimensional bone formation from human gingival stem cells in vitro by new culture method

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K23757
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0702:Biology at cellular to organismal levels, and related fields
• Research Institution: The Nippon Dental University
• Principal Investigator: Watanabe Miho 日本歯科大学, 新潟生命歯学部, 非常勤講師 (20845317)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-08-30 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: ヒト歯肉幹細胞 / 培養骨組織 / 組織工学 / 還流培養法

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we generated bone tissues from human gingival stem cells in vitro using the reflux culture method and the aim was to establish an in vitro bone experiment model and to prepare a new bone graft material.
We individually created compact bone layer and spongy bone layer in the same bone tissue by combining osteoblast sheets and osteoblast beads made from human gingival stem cells. Inside this bone, many bone lacunae containing osteocytes and Haversian canal-like structures were observed. Furthermore, vascular-like structures and multinuclear osteoclast-like cells were observed in some. Therefore, we succeeded in producing cultured bone tissue with a structure closely resembles native bone tissue.

Free Research Field

再生医療

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

ヒト歯肉を細胞源として培養下で骨組織を作製できれば、多くの人で応用可能な移植材料として用いることができる。自己の細胞から作られた培養骨組織では、移植の際に問題となる感染や免疫の心配はなく、自家骨移植のような二次的外科侵襲も不要である。また、現在骨をターゲットにした研究ではマウス等の生体を用いた研究が主体となっているが、in vitroの骨実験モデルであれば生体内の複雑な調節メカニズムを単純化することができ、創薬の開発等に多大な貢献ができる。