Patient-Derived Stem Cell Medicine: A Safe and Reliable Cell Processing and Regenerative Therapeutic Application of Human Dental Pulp Stem Cells

Dental tissues obtained from teeth extracted for orthodontic purposes are a safe and easily accessible source of human mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs), which could be used for future tissue regeneration therapy. Dental tissues are the source of several MSCs, among which dental pulp-derived MSCs (DPSCs) have been studied the most. These cells possess excellent MSC characteristics, such as a high proliferation rate, multipotency, and immunomodulatory properties, and have a very low risk of tumorigenicity. As a result, DPSCs are considered a promising MSC alternative compared to other commonly used MSC sources, such as bone marrow, adipose tissue, and umbilical cords. Tooth extraction for DPSC collection is usually performed in the clinic, even in the absence of immediate regenerative therapeutic requirements. To prepare for possible future clinical use, it is necessary to implement dental cell banking platforms to store these dental MSCs. This book chapter summarizes clinical trials and preclinical animal studies demonstrating recent advances in DPSC-based therapies as treatment approaches for several systemic diseases. These recent advances indicate that clinical-grade cell processing and banking will be necessary to establish future MSC-preservation platforms and to promote safe and efficient clinical applications of patient-derived stem cell medicine.