A study of tooth root formation by a novel co-culture system -Three Dimensional and Layered (TDL) culture.

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Tooth root formation is a complex process and the mechanism remains largely unclear due to the difficulty to mimic the procedure. Thus it is extensively necessary to establish the experimental model of tooth root formation. In this study we tried to develop tooth root formation model using Three Dimensional and Layered (TDL) culture that we engineered. The isolation of Hertwig's Epithelial Root Sheath/Epithelial Rest of Malassez (HER/ERM) to culture is challenging, however, our data revealed that perlecan might be one of the cell markers of dental pulp cells. Interestingly, ERM was not observed in rat incisor. ERM is transformed during 'elongation' and 'fragmentation' of HERS. It is possible that discreteness may not occur in HERS or the discrete residual cells may disappear resulting in no evidence of ERM. To understand the variety of events including HERS/ERM during root formation, further investigation is needed and our TDL culture is essential to develop the experimental model.