This article focuses on the biological characterization and discussion of the potential application of oral-derived adult stem cells for craniofacial tissue engineering applications. The authors reviewed experimental (in vitro and in vivo) and clinical reports regarding the isolation, characterization, modulation, and translational clinical application of human precursor cell populations derived from postnatal dental tissues. Five different human dental stem/progenitor cell populations have been isolated and characterized. These postnatal populations present mesenchymal stem cell-like characteristics and enjoy forceful capabilities regarding the differentiation into odontogenic/osteogenic lineages, supporting evidence--in preclinical and clinical trials--for the regeneration of oral/dental tissues.
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