Odyssey of human dental pulp stem cells and their remarkable ability to survive in extremely adverse conditions

Citation: Mitsiadis TA and Woloszyk A (2015) Odyssey of human dental pulp stem cells and their remarkable ability to survive in extremely adverse conditions. Front. Physiol. 6:99. Adult tissues contain stem cells, which proliferate to compensate for tissue loss throughout the life of the organism (Li and Clevers, 2010; Jiménez-Rojo et al., 2012). Therefore, adult stem cells are important for tissue repair and regeneration after injury. In seriously injured or carious teeth, stem cells residing in the dental pulp are responsible for the repair and regeneration of the damaged dental tissues (Catón et al., 2011; Mitsiadis et al., 2011). Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) can be isolated after labeling of the pulp cells with fluorescent mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) markers such as STRO-1, CD146, and CD44, followed by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) (Mitsiadis et al., 2012). Additional identification procedures include morphological criteria, adherence properties , proliferation, and differentiation potential, as well as tissue repair abilities of the sorted stem cell populations. The potential of DPSCs for the regeneration of bone tissue in patients has been demonstrated with a successful trial assay that has been realized in Napoli (Italy) several years ago (Catón et al., 2011; Mitsiadis et al., 2012). We have established a close scientific collaboration with the Napoli stem cell team headed by Prof. Gianpaolo Papaccio for the exchange of knowledge and materials. Several months ago, we have requested for a bunch of freshly isolated DPSCs in order to complete a number of experiments that we are currently realizing in our laboratories in Zurich (Switzerland). DPSCs were shipped with an express delivery company on the 26/11/2014 from Napoli with destination to Zurich. The shipped DPSCs were grown as a monolayer in a 25 cm 2 culture flask containing the standard MSC culture medium. The flask that was sealed with Parafilm and left in ambient temperature should normally arrive to the destination the next day, but for unknown reasons the journey of DPSCs was longer and more exciting than expected. The DPSCs have followed an astonishing itinerary from Italy, to France (Paris), Great Britain, South Africa (Johannesburg), back to France, thereafter to Spain, France again. From France the cells finally arrived to Zurich Switzerland through Basel on the 4/12/2014. This itinerary can be considered as an Odyssey of DPSCs, which had to develop sophisticated mechanisms for their survival under these extremely adverse conditions. Sometimes discoveries are arising by chance, following …