Comparison of cellular and differentiation characteristics of mesenchymal stem cells derived from human gingiva and periodontal ligament

Objectives: Dental tissues possess multipotent stem cells with varying biological properties. The present study was aimed to establish a primary culture of human gingiva-derived mesenchymal stem cells (GMSCs) and periodontal ligament-derived stem cells (PDLSCs) from periodontally healthy subjects and compare their biological characteristics. Materials and Methods: Gingival and periodontal ligament (PDL) tissues were collected from extracted premolar teeth of five healthy subjects and primary cultures were established. Basic biological characteristics, such as cell morphology, viability, proliferation capacity, and colony-forming units, and in vitro osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation potential were performed at passage 3 of GMSCs and PDLSCs. This was followed by immuno-phenotyping and flow cytometric analysis for identification of positive mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) markers, such as CD73, CD90, and CD105, and negative markers CD45 and CD34. Statistical Analysis Used: One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results: Primary cultures of GMSCs and PDLSCs were successfully established. Cells exhibited a fibroblast-like morphology with a homogeneous population at passage 3. Cells derived from both tissues were highly viable (>95%), proliferative, and capable of forming colonies. Both cells did not exhibit any noticeable differences in cellular properties. Immunofluorescence and flow cytometric analyses showed positivity for MSC markers, CD73, CD90, and CD105, and negativity for CD34 and CD45. Furthermore, GMSCs and PDLSCs were capable of differentiating in vitro into osteocytes as evidenced by Alizarin red-S staining, and adipocytes as demonstrated by oil red O staining. Conclusions: The results of the present study indicate that both GMSCs and PDLSCs have similar cellular characteristics and mesenchymal differentiation potential. Therefore, they may serve as an equally potent source of stem cells for use in cell-based periodontal therapies.