Osteogenic capacity and cytotherapeutic potential of periodontal ligament cells for periodontal regeneration in vitro and in vivo

Background The periodontal ligament cells (PDLCs) contain heterogeneous cell populations and possess stem-cell-like properties. PDLCs have attracted considerable attention as an option for periodontal regeneration. However, the osteogenic differentiation of PDLCs remains obscure owing to variable osteo-inductive methods and whether PDLCs could be directly used for periodontal regeneration without stem cell enrichment is uncertain. The aim of the present study was to clarify the osteogenic differentiation capacity of PDLCs and test PDLCs as an alternative to stem cells for periodontal regeneration.