The present invention is directed to a method of preparing an artificial tooth primordium in vitro, comprising the steps: a) providing isolated mesenchymal dental pulp cells; and b) culturing the mesenchymal dental pulp cells under non-adherent conditions to form a cell aggregate representing an artificial tooth primordium; as well as to an artificial tooth primordium derived therefrom.

The present invention includes a functionalized nerve guidance conduit (NGC), methods of making neurotrophic factor-expressing neural crest stem-like cells (NCSC) and/or Schwann cell precursor-like (SCP) cells, methods of making the functionalized nerve guidance conduit, and methods of treating nerve injury using the functionalized nerve guidance conduit.

The present invention relates to a composition for the differentiation of dental pulp stem cells into odontoblasts and an IgG or IgM type monoclonal antibody that specifically binds to the surface of odontoblasts differentiated from the stem cells. According to the present invention, BMP2 and BMP4 are optimally combined to significantly increase the differentiation efficiency of dental pulp stem cells into odontoblasts, to induce the mineralization of the matrix, and to improve the differentiation ability of odontoblasts into dentin. Further, the IgG or IgM monoclonal antibody that specifically binds to the surface of odontoblasts of the present invention is used to effectively isolate and purify odontoblasts, which can be useful for tissue regeneration and differentiation.

Methods are described for preparing auditory progenitor cells from gingival mesenchymal cells, for uses such as restoring hearing in hearing impaired individuals. In one aspect, a method of treating hearing loss associated with loss of sensory neurons in a human subject is provided, the method comprising the steps of: a. obtaining a population of gingival mesenchymal stem cells (GMSCs); b. optionally expanding the population of GMSCs in vitro; c. encapsulating the population of GMSCs in an elastic three-dimensional scaffold; d. exposing the encapsulated population of GMSCs to a composition comprising one or more growth factors; e. allowing co a sufficient period for the population of GMSCs to differentiate towards auditory progenitor cells; f. optionally retrieving the auditory progenitor cells from the scaffold; and g. introducing the auditory progenitor cells into the inner ear of the subject.

A medium-based method for inducing specific differentiation of dental stem cells into dopaminergic neurons is provided. The method includes seeding the dental stem cells at a concentration of 5000 cells/cm.sup.2, following 24-hour incubation, introducing the cells into first part neurogenic induction medium and continuing the medium application for 4 days; subsequently, introducing the cells into the second part neurogenic induction medium and continuing the medium application for 2 days; and terminating the differentiation at the end of 6 days. The objective of the present invention is to develop cellular applications for use in treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and medications related to the said diseases.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide immortalized stem cells, which produce a growth factor capable of regenerating various kinds of tissues that have been damaged by a variety of causes, and a method for producing the aforesaid immortalized stem cells. Another purpose is to provide a medicinal composition and a medicinal preparation for restoring damaged tissues, and a method for the percutaneous absorption of a culture supernatant. Provided are immortalized stem cells that are obtained by isolating stem cells selected from the group consisting of mammalian mesenchymal cells, an embryo at the early stage of the development and somatic cells, first culturing the cells to give first stage culture cells, transferring four kinds of genes into the first stage culture cells to give transgenic cells, and selecting the desired immortalized stem cells from among the transgenic cells using the expression of STRO-1 as an index.

The present invention is directed to therapeutic multifunctional immature dental pulp stem cells (IDPSCs), and IDPSCs multi-lineage compositions. The invention is further directed to the use of IDPSCs and compositions to reduce the risk of and/or treat degenerative diseases or for other medicinal and aesthetic purposes.

The invention provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising human immature dental pulp stem cells (hIDPSCs) wherein the hIDPSCs express CD44 and CD13. The invention also provides methods of treating a neurological disease or condition comprising systemically administering to a subject a pharmaceutical composition comprising hIDPSCs wherein the hIDPSCs express CD44 and CD13. For example, for treating neurological diseases or conditions including supporting the neuro-protective mechanism in subjects diagnosed with early HD or repairing lost DA neurons in subjects diagnosed with PD.

The present disclosure relates to a cryopreserved pharmaceutical composition comprising immature dental pulp stem cells (IDPSCs) expressing SOX-1 and SOX-2 and methods of treating a neurological disease or condition comprising systemically administering to a subject a cryopreserved pharmaceutical composition comprising IDPSCs expressing SOX-1 and SOX-2.

The present invention is directed to therapeutic multifunctional immature dental pulp stem cells (IDPSCs), and IDPSCs multi-lineage compositions. The invention is further directed to the use of IDPSCs and compositions to reduce the risk of and/or treat degenerative diseases or for other medicinal and aesthetic purposes.