Fabrication of DPSC constructs with vascular and neural network for Efficient Pulp Regeneration

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K23106
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0907:Oral science and related fields
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Katata Chihiro 大阪大学, 歯学部附属病院, 医員 (20876677)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-09-11 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 歯髄 / 再生歯学 / 生体材料 / 歯髄幹細胞 / 血管 / 神経

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Dental pulp regenerative medicine is a promising approach to restore the vitality of pulpless teeth. The purpose of this study was to fabricate the vascularized and neuralized DPSC constructs which facilitate to deliver the blood flow into the construct and achieve efficient pulp regeneration.
This study revealed that vascularized DPSC constructs could be prepared by endothelial differentiation of constructs. In addition, vascularized DPSC constructs showed higher ability for pulp regeneration compared with undifferentiated constructs. Neuralized constructs were also fabricated by the neural differentiation of DPSC constructs. It was shown that this neuralized construct contained nerve cells which possessed voltage-dependent sodium and potassium channels. This study demonstrated that these functionalized DPSC constructs are prospective biomaterials for a novel dental pulp regeneration.

Free Research Field

組織再生

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では，スキャフォールドフリーで移植可能かつ機能的な歯髄様組織をin vitroで創製する技術の確立に成功した．本研究のように，細胞集合体内にin vitroで血管網や神経網を構築する手法に関して，類似する研究例は国内外をみても存在せず，本研究成果のもつ学術的意義は大きい．
さらに，本研究で確立した三次元組織内に幹細胞由来の血管網および神経網を形成する技術は，脊髄や四肢の外傷性損傷の治療に用いる生体材料にも応用可能であり，本研究の成果は再生医療分野において重要な知見であると考えられる．