In vitro and in vivo investigations of osteogenic differentiation ability of dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) and gingival mesenchymal stem cells (GMSCs) by use of nanostructured scaffolds

Thanks to the use of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs), smart biomaterials and active biomolecules, Regenerative Medicine (RM) and Bone Tissue Engineering (BTE) can restore structure and function of injured tissues. Among the different sources of hMSCs, the oro-facial hMSCs have promising in vitro and in vivo regeneration potential; in particular, dental pulp and gingiva are valuable sources of autologous hMSCs. The aim of this PhD thesis is testing the in vitro and in vivo bone regeneration ability of hMSCs isolated from dental pulp and inflamed gingiva of periodontally-compromised teeth, up to now considered biological waste tissues and discarded during surgical procedures, on two commercial scaffolds, FISIOGRAFT Bone Granular® and Matriderm®, in order to develop a low-cost and painless strategy of autologous bone tissue regeneration in patients affected by bone resorption. This project is in line with the National Operational Program (PON) “Research and Innovation” (R&I) 2014-2020 and the National Strategy of Intelligent Specialization (SNSI), aiming to promote the research and the innovation of the country, with a particular interest on the Health Specialization Area.