Stem Cells from Human Exfoliated Deciduous Teeth in Tissue Regeneration

Every species in this world, from the simplest to complex organisms, has auto-capacity for tissue regeneration. Tissue regeneration is a process of renewal and growth that replaces or repairs damaged or lost tissue as a result of natural changes or disturbances. As organisms become more complex, their regenerative ability diminishes. As humans are complex having very limited regenerative capability, tissue regeneration has become one of growing areas of research. However, it has become a resource-intensive research as it is dependent on the availability and ability of the cells used. The need to find an available source of cells led researchers to choose stem cells. The use of stem cells has shown excellent progress in tissue regeneration and numerous types of stem cells have been reported to be used in tissue regeneration, namely mesenchymal stem cells, neural stem cells, adipose stem cells, cardiac stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells etc. However, the potential use of dental stem cells in regenerative medicine has not been widely discussed. Dental stem cells, which were first discovered in 1985 have been very well-characterized for their potential to be used in dental tissue regeneration, but less recognized for application in other parts of the body. Therefore, this chapter focusses on the potential use of dental stem cells, particularly stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED) for tissue regeneration. SHED are adult stem cells that can be retrieved from primary teeth. Since these cells can be acquired after extraction of deciduous teeth, they provide noninvasive, unlimited cell sources without any ethical concerns. They are multipotent stem cells with a higher proliferation rate and differentiation capability than other dental stem cells and human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. Therefore, this chapter will specifically address the differentiation potential of SHED, particularly with respect to fibroblasts, epithelial and osteoblast-like cells, growth factors and the signalling pathways involved. Knowledge about the differentiation potential of SHED is important because it creates a plethora of opportunities as an excellent stem cell model for tissue regeneration. Keeping this in mind, this chapter aims to provide information to the researchers, students, and scientists working or interested in exploring the SHED on tissue regeneration.