Microfluidics co-culture systems for studying tooth innervation.

ABSTRACT: Innervation plays a key role in the development and homeostasis of organs and tissues of the orofacial complex. Among these structures, teeth are peculiar organs as they are not innervated until later stages of development. Furthermore, the implication of neurons in tooth initiation, morphogenesis and differentiation is still controversial. Co-cultures constitute a valuable method to investigate and manipulate the interactions of nerve fibers with their target organs in a controlled and isolated environment. Conventional co-cultures between neurons and their target tissues have already been performed, but these cultures do not offer optimal conditions that are closely mimicking the in vivo situation. Indeed, specific cell populations require different culture media in order to preserve the

SUBMITTER: Pagella P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4142415 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature