Changes of the Unique Odontogenic Properties of Rat Apical Bud Cells under the Developing Apical Complex Microenvironment

AIM: To characterize the odontogenic capability of apical bud and phenotypical change of apical bud cells (ABCs) in different microenvironment. METHODOLOGY: Incisor apical bud tissues from neonatal SD rat were dissected and transplanted into the renal capsules to determine their odontogenic capability. Meanwhile ABCs were cultured and purified by repeated differential trypsinization. Then ABCs were cultured with conditioned medium from developing apical complex cells (DAC-CM). Immunocytochemistry, reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) were performed to compare the biological change of ABC treated with or without DAC-CM. RESULTS: First we confirmed the ability of apical bud to form crown-like structure ectopically. Equally important, by using the developing apical complex (DAC) conditioned medium, we found the microenvironment created by root could abrogate the “crown” features of ABCs and promote their proliferation and differentiation. CONCLUSION: ABCs possess odontogenic capability to form crown-like tissues and this property can be affected by root-produced microenvironment.