Prospects of neural crest-derived cells from oral and dentofacial tissues for application in regenerative medicine

During vertebrate development, neural crest cells arise in the dorsal region of the fusing neural tube, then migrate extensively across the embryonic body to differentiate into various cell types. In adults, subsets of neural crest-derived cells (NCDCs) reside as stem cells and are considered useful as cell sources for autologous cell therapy. Previous studies have suggested that these NCDC subsets persist into adulthood in mammals, especially those within dentofacial compartments. We have found NCDCs in a wide variety of tissues, including palate, gingiva, and tongue, as well as hair follicles, submandibular glands, and buccal mucosa in adult mice. NCDCs from buccal mucosa can also form neurosphere-like structures that have a capability to differentiate into osteoblasts. These findings indicate that NCDCs reside in various adult oral and dentofacial regions, and possess potential to differentiate into osteoblastic cells, thus suggesting that those in adults may be a useful source for bone regeneration strategies. In recent years, several researchers have reported regeneration experiments using NCDCs obtained from oral and dentofacial tissues. Here, we review findings related to the distribution of NCDCs, with focus on the oral and dentofacial regions, as well as the future prospects of NCDC-based regenerative therapies.