Regenerative teeth induced by in vitro mesenchymal cells in mice via repressing BMP4 and activating retinoic acid/osteopontin.

ABSTRACT: Maintaining the odontogenic potential of dental mesenchymal cells (DMCs) in vitro remains a critical challenge in tooth regeneration research. Current culture systems fail to sustain DMC functionality beyond short-term periods, limiting their utility for tissue engineering applications. Here, we developed an optimized N2B27-based culture medium that preserves the odontogenic capacity of mouse DMCs (mDMCs) for up to 14 days with passaging-a significant improvement over conventional methods (≤ 24 h). Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) revealed distinct transcriptional profiles and cellular trajectories between traditionally cultured (FBS-based) and N2B27-cultured DMCs. Mechanistically, excessive BMP4 signaling in standard media suppressed odontogenesis, whereas elevated Spp1 (osteopontin

SUBMITTER: Chen S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12678684 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature