Cell Sheets for Periodontal Tissue Engineering

Cell Sheet Technology was first utilized in a clinical trial for corneal reconstruction in 2003; since then, several clinical trials have been performed not only in Japan but also in Europe. The key technology of Cell Sheet is a temperature-responsive polymer (poly N-isopropylacrylamide), which characteristics dramatically change from hydrophobic to hydrophilic by changing the temperature. This intelligent polymer is covalently grafted onto the surface of cell culture dishes, where cells can attach and proliferate at 37 °C. Reducing the temperature below 32 °C causes this surface to hydrate; therefore, confluent cells detach from the surface as a sheet. Cell sheets can be harvested without the use of typical proteolytic enzymes; thus, intact cell-cell interaction, cell surface proteins, and extracellular matrix proteins are preserved. Using this technology, we started a clinical trial in 2011 to test the safety and efficacy of autologous periodontal ligament cell sheets for periodontal regeneration. © 2015, Springer International Publishing AG.