Clinical application prospects and transformation value of dental follicle stem cells in oral and neurological diseases

Figure 1 Main dental stem cells derived from different dental tissues. This image shows the six types of human dental stem cells isolated and identified at different stages of tooth development. Dental follicle stem cells are obtained at the early developing stage of the tooth prior to eruption.

Figure 2 The origin of dental follicle stem cells and the main strategies/mechanisms of dental follicle stem cell-based therapies in oral and neurological diseases. Dental follicle stem cells (DFSCs) originating from the craniofacial neural crest exhibit dental-like tissue differentiation potential and neuro-ectodermal features. For the regeneration of periodontium and pulp, the main strategy is the combination of DFSCs or their accessory products (exosomes) with various scaffolds (such as treated dentin matrix, native dental pulp extracellular matrix, and hydroxyapatite). The cell sheet technique prevents the degradation of the extracellular matrix and makes it a natural scaffold. In addition, appropriate stimulation may enhance the therapeutic effect, such as preconditioning with Hertwig’s epithelial root sheath cells or lipopolysaccharides. For the treatment of neurotrauma and neurodegenerative disorders, DFSCs enable tissue regeneration primarily by reducing inflammatory response and apoptosis, promoting angiogenesis, and differentiating into mature functional neurons and oligodendrocytes.