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Copyright ©The Author(s) 2021. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Stem Cells. Nov 26, 2021; 13(11): 1625-1646
Published online Nov 26, 2021. doi: 10.4252/wjsc.v13.i11.1625
Priming strategies for controlling stem cell fate: Applications and challenges in dental tissue regeneration
Si-Yuan Zhang, Jia-Yin Ren, Bo Yang
Si-Yuan Zhang, Bo Yang, State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China
Jia-Yin Ren, Department of Oral Radiology, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China
Bo Yang, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China
Author contributions: Zhang SY drafted the manuscript; Ren JY drew the figures and revised the manuscript; Yang B proposed the ideas and revised the manuscript; All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.
Supported by Applied Basic Research Programs of Science and Technology Department of Sichuan Province, No. 2021YJ0147; and National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 31600789.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare no conflict of interests for this article.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Bo Yang, DDS, PhD, Academic Fellow, State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, No. 14 3rd Section, Renmin South Road, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China. dr.yangbo@scu.edu.cn
Received: February 27, 2021
Peer-review started: February 27, 2021
First decision: April 20, 2021
Revised: May 14, 2021
Accepted: August 27, 2021
Article in press: August 27, 2021
Published online: November 26, 2021
Abstract

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have attracted intense interest in the field of dental tissue regeneration. Dental tissue is a popular source of MSCs because MSCs can be obtained with minimally invasive procedures. MSCs possess distinct inherent properties of self-renewal, immunomodulation, proangiogenic potential, and multilineage potency, as well as being readily available and easy to culture. However, major issues, including poor engraftment and low survival rates in vivo, remain to be resolved before large-scale application is feasible in clinical treatments. Thus, some recent investigations have sought ways to optimize MSC functions in vitro and in vivo. Currently, priming culture conditions, pretreatment with mechanical and physical stimuli, preconditioning with cytokines and growth factors, and genetic modification of MSCs are considered to be the main strategies; all of which could contribute to improving MSC efficacy in dental regenerative medicine. Research in this field has made tremendous progress and continues to gather interest and stimulate innovation. In this review, we summarize the priming approaches for enhancing the intrinsic biological properties of MSCs such as migration, antiapoptotic effect, proangiogenic potential, and regenerative properties. Challenges in current approaches associated with MSC modification and possible future solutions are also indicated. We aim to outline the present understanding of priming approaches to improve the therapeutic effects of MSCs on dental tissue regeneration.

Keywords: Mesenchymal stem cells, Priming, Dental regeneration, Culture conditions, Cytokines, Growth factors, Genetic modification

Core Tip: Undoubtedly, the efficacy associated with the survival and regenerative properties of unmodified mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) cannot be overemphasized. These properties cannot be augmented until these cells are enhanced by priming approaches to protect MSCs against an inhospitable microenvironment in vivo. In this review, we focus on discussing the current MSC priming approaches in the field of dental tissue regeneration. As a promising outcome, primed MSCs can exhibit prolonged therapeutic efficacy and can be applied to the clinical treatment of some dental diseases in the near future.