Neurotrophic effects of dental pulp stem cells in repair of peripheral nerve after crush injury
Dianri Wang, Yuhao Wang, Jian Pan, Weidong Tian
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Nerve diseases and injuries, which are usually accompanied by motor or sensory dysfunction and disorder, impose a heavy burden upon patients and greatly reduce their quality of life. Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs), derived from the neural crest, have many characteristics that are similar to those of neural cells, indicating that they can be an ideal source for neural repair. AIM: To explore the potential roles and molecular mechanisms of DPSCs in crushed nerve recovery. METHODS: and used the sciatic function index, walking track analysis, muscle weight, and hematoxylin & eosin (H&E) staining to further evaluate the nerve repair ability of DPSCs. RESULTS: , both DPSC and N-DPSC implants alleviated gastrocnemius muscle atrophy. However, in terms of anatomy and motor function, as shown by H&E staining, immunofluorescent staining, and walking track analyses, the repair effects of N-DPSCs were more sustained, potent, and effective than those of DPSCs and the controls. CONCLUSION: . Thus, DPSCs or N-DPSCs could be a promising therapeutic cell source for peripheral nerve repair and regeneration.