The Anatomical Record · 1985 · 189 citations · 10 references
DentistryCell BiologyOral BiologyCell ProliferationPeriodontal BiologyStem Cell BiologyPeriodontal HistologyPeriodontal LigamentPeriodontal Ligament BiologyPeriodontal Tissue AnatomyStem Cell ProliferationCell Cycle DynamicsCell Proliferation KineticsPeriodontal Ligament Cell BiologyPeriodontal Ligament Cell ProliferationPeriodontal Ligament CellsPeriodontal Ligament Progenitor CellsPeriodontal Stem Cell BiologyProgenitor Cells
Stem cells in renewal tissues are characterized by a slow proliferation rate. The study examined mouse molar periodontal ligament for slowly cycling progenitor cells to support the existence of stem cells in this tissue. Mice received a 3H‑thymidine pulse and were sacrificed 1 h to 14 days later, after which radioautographs were analyzed for label‑retaining cells near blood vessels. The data reveal a slowly dividing progenitor population near vessels in mouse molar periodontal ligament, indicating potential stem cells.
Stem cells in a variety of renewal tissues exhibit a slow rate of cell proliferation (Potten et al., 1979). The periodontal ligament of mouse molars was examined for the presence of slowly cycling progenitor cells to provide evidence for the existence of stem cells in this tissue. A pulse injection of 3H-thymidine was administered and mice were sacrificed between 1 hour and 14 days after injection. Analysis of radioautographs using percentage of labeled cells and grain counts demonstrated that a population of label-retaining cells within 10 micron of blood vessels traversed the cell cycle more slowly than proliferating cells located greater than 10 micron from blood vessels. These data suggest that there is a slowly dividing population of progenitor cells in paravascular sites in mouse molar periodontal ligament which may be stem cells.
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