skip to main content

Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering

The quest to identify stem cells to regenerate oro-facial tissues dated back to classic guided tissue regeneration studies by Tony Melcher, Jan Lindhe, Sture Nyman, and Thorkild Karring (Flores-de-Jacoby et al. 1991).

Our lab began working on periodontal stem cells in 2001, and we were awarded an NIH grant (DE15425) for this work in 2003. At that point we began to generate and characterize stem cell populations in developing periodontal tissues (Luan et al. 2006, 2009, Dangaria et al. 2009, 2011a, Gopinathan et al. 2013). Subsequently, we have established periodontal progenitor populations to regenerate the periodontium of extracted teeth and replant these teeth into sockets (Dangaria et al. 2011b,c).

This research has prompted a number of studies related to the design of scaffolds and homing factors for odontogenic regeneration (Li et al. 2013, Pan et al. 2013, Huang et al. 2013). Studies related to stem cells and regeneration of odontogenic tissues are ongoing.


Contributions to Journals

  • Qian, Y., Zhou, X., Zhang, F., Diekwisch, T.G.H., Luan, X., and Yang, J. (2019). Triple PLGA/PCL scaffold modification including silver impregnation, collagen coating, and electrospinning significantly improve biocompatibility, antimicrobial, and osteogenic properties for orofacial tissue regeneration. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 11, 37381-37396
  • Issac, A., Jivan, F., Xin, S., Hardin, J., Luan, X., Pandya, M., Diekwisch, T.G.H. and Agle, D.L., (2019). Microporous Bio-orthogonally Annealed Particle Hydrogels for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine. ACS Biomater. Sci. Eng. 5, 6395-6404.
  • Francis, M., Gopinathan, G., Foyle, D., Fallah, P., Gonzalez, M., Luan, X., and Diekwisch, T.G.H. (2020). Histone Methylation: Achilles Heel and Powerful Mediator of Periodontal Homeostasis. J. Dent. Res. 99, 1332-1340.
  • Francis, M., Gopinathan, G., Salapatas, A., Nares, S., Gonzales, M., Diekwisch, T.G.H. and Luan, X. (2020). SETD1 and NF-kB Regulate Periodontal Inflammation through H3K4 Trimethylation. J. Dent. Res. 99, 1486-1493.
  • Pandya, M., Saxon, M., Bozanich, J., Tillberg, C., Luan, X., and Diekwisch, T.G.H. (2021). The glycoprotein/cytokine erythropoietin promotes rapid alveolar ridge regeneration in vivo by promoting new bone extracellular matrix deposition in conjunction with couple angiogenesis/osteogenesis. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22, 2788. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22062788
  • Ma, W., Lyu, H., Pandya, M., Gopinathan, G., Luan, X., and Diekwisch, T.G.H. (2021). Successful Application of a Galanin-Coated Scaffold for Periodontal Regeneration. J. Dent. Res in press.
  • Liu, H., Yan, X., Pandya, M., Luan, X., and Diekwisch, T.G.H. (2016). Daughters of the enamel organ: Development, fate, and function of the stratum intermedium, stellate reticulum, and outer enamel epithelium. Stem Cells and Development 25, 1580-1590.
  • Li, Q., Reed, D.A., Min, L., Gopinathan, G., Li, S., Dangaria, S.J., Li, L., Geng, Y., Galang, M.T., Gajendrareddy, P., Zhou, Y., Luan, X., Diekwisch, T.G. (2014). Lyophilized Platelet-Rich Fibrin (PRF) promotes craniofacial bone regeneration through Runx2. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 15, 8509-8525.
  • Gopinathan G., Kolokythas, A., Luan, X., and Diekwisch, T.G.H. (2013). Epigenetic marks define the lineage and differentiation potential of two distinct neural crest-derived odontogenic progenitors. Stem Cells Dev. 22, 1763-1778.
  • Huang, J., Zhao, D., Dangaria, S.J., Luan, X., Diekwisch, T.G.H., Saiz, E., Liu, G., Tomsia, A.P. (2013). Combinatorial design of hydrolytically degradable, bone-like biocomposites based on PHEMA and hydroxyapatite. Polymer 54, 909-919.
  • Pan, S., Dangaria, S.J., Yan, X., Gopinathan, G., Lu, X., Kolokythas, A., Niu, X., and Luan X. (2013). SCF promotes dental pulp progenitor migration, neovascularization, and collagen remodeling – potential applications as a homing factor in pulp regeneration. Stem Cell Reviews and Reports 9, 655-667.
  • Li, Q., Pan, S., Dangaria, S.J., Gopinathan G., Kolokythas, A., Chu, S., Geng, Y., Zhou, Y, and Luan, X. (2013). Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) promotes periodontal regeneration and enhances alveolar bone augmentation. Biomed. Res. Int. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/638043, 1-13.
  • Dangaria, S., Ito, Y., Luan, X., and Diekwisch, T.G.H. (2011)c. Successful periodontal ligament regeneration by periodontal progenitor pre-seeding on natural tooth root surfaces. Stem Cells and Development 20, 1659-1668.
  • Dangaria, S., Ito, Y., Yin, L.L., Valdrè, G., Luan, X., and Diekwisch, T.G.H. (2011b). Apatite microtopographies instruct signaling tapestries for progenitor-driven new attachment of teeth. Tiss. Eng. Part A 17, 279-290.
  • Dangaria, S., Ito, Y., Luan, X., and Diekwisch, T.G.H. (2011a). Differentiation of neural crest-derived intermediate pluripotent progenitors into committed periodontal populations involves unique molecular signature changes, cohort shifts, and epigenetic modifications. Stem Cells and Development 20, 39-52. Journal Cover.
  • Dangaria, S.J., Ito, Y., Walker, C., Druzinsky, R., Luan, X., and Diekwisch, T.G.H.(2009). Extracellular matrix-mediated differentiation of periodontal progenitor cells. Differentiation 78, 79-90.
  • Luan, X., Ito, Y., Dangaria, S., and Diekwisch, T.G.H. (2006). Dental follicle progenitor cell heterogeneity in the developing mouse periodontium. Stem Cells and Development 15, 595-608.
  • Flores-de-Jacoby, L., Diekwisch, T., Zimmermann, A. (1991). Periodontal therapy using guided tissue regeneration - Experiences with Goretex -. German Dentists’ Calender 1991. Carl Hanser, Munich 1991.