Aim: To describe two different protocols for obtaining primary pulp cell cultures, one derived from explants and the other following dissociation into single cell suspension by enzyme digestion.
Methods: Human pulp tissue was obtained from three healthy premolars. The harvested pulp tissue was prepared for culture using physical methods (one of the premolars) and enzyme, type XI collagenase, (the two remaining premolars).
Results: In the case of explant based culture, only limited growth was observed in some cases. However, by enzyme digestion, after two weeks cell growth was evident, and differences in cell type were observed according to the tooth involved.
Conclusion: It has been possible to obtain abundant biological material using an enzyme digestion-based protocol for testing purposes, with low experimental variability, as all cells originated from the same individual.