[The characteristics of cultured dental pulp cells and the localization of dental pulp stem cells].

PURPOSE: This study was aimed to investigate the localization of dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) by comparing the characteristics of cultured dental pulp cells in coronal and root pulp. METHODS: Human dental coronal and root pulp cells were cultured in tissue-explant method, the cell culture successfulness, attachment efficiency, cell viality, morphology, proliferation pattern, and the mineralization ability were observed, the localization of DPSCs was investigated in the functional respect of DPSCs. RESULTS: The human dental root pulp cells have more culture successfulness,more attachment efficiency,more cell viality, more primary characteristics, and stronger induced mineralization ability than that of coronal pulp cells. Root and coronal pulp cells showed same proliferation patterns. CONCLUSIONS: DPSCs may exist in both dental root and coronal pulp, and the density of DPSCs in the root pulp may be higher than the coronal pulp.