Stem Cells from Dental Pulp of Deciduous Teeth: Twenty Years of Experience

Abstract

Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) are a special mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) type. These cells can be isolated from the dental pulp (DP) of deciduous, adult, and wisdom teeth. Stem cells from milk/baby teeth fall naturally, representing an advantageous source of young stem cells. These cells are less studied than MSCs from bone marrow, adipose tissue, and umbilical cord. MSCs from these sources are currently widely used in clinical studies. However, obtaining significant quantities of DPSCs from one donor is still challenging, thus limiting their systemic application in patients, which requires doses starting from 5 × 105 per kg of weight and higher. In this chapter, we would like to share our experience of more than 20 years in the isolation and scaling up of DPSC from deciduous teeth. We will also provide information about their in vitro growth, differentiation, and therapeutic potential observed in animal models that mimic human diseases or injuries in preclinical studies. Finally, we will discuss our experience of DPSC production under good manufacturing practice conditions and their use in regulated clinical studies in Brazil for Huntington’s disease.