Determinants of dental pulp stem cell heterogeneity

Abstract

INTRODUCTION : The aim of this review is to provide a narrative review on the determinants of dental pulp stem cell (DPSC) heterogeneity that may affect the regenerative properties of these cells. METHODS : PubMed, Scopus, and MEDLINE (Ovid) literature searches were done on human dental pulp stem cell heterogeneity. The focus was on human dental pulp stem cells with a primary focus on DPSC heterogeneity. RESULTS : DPSCs display significant heterogeneity as illustrated by the various subpopulations reported, including differences in proliferation and differentiation capabilities and the impact of various intrinsic and extrinsic factors. CONCLUSIONS : The lack of consistent and reliable results in the clinical setting may be due to the heterogeneous nature of DPSC populations. Standardization in isolation techniques and criteria to characterize DPSCs should lead to less variability in results reported and improve comparison of findings between studies. Single-cell RNA sequencing holds promise in elucidating DPSC heterogeneity and may contribute to the establishment of standardized techniques.