Scientists uncover two stem cell lineages behind tooth root and bone formation
Updated
Updated · SciTechDaily · May 1
Scientists uncover two stem cell lineages behind tooth root and bone formation
11 articles · Updated · SciTechDaily · May 1
Science Tokyo-led researchers, working with US collaborators, traced the cells in genetically modified mice and published two Nature Communications studies.
One lineage from the apical papilla helps build tooth roots via Wnt signalling, while another in the dental follicle forms supporting tissues and alveolar bone when Hedgehog-Foxf signalling is suppressed.
The findings clarify how teeth and supporting bone develop together and could guide future stem-cell therapies to regenerate natural teeth, periodontal tissues and jaw bone beyond implants and dentures.
Scientists mapped how to grow a tooth's structure. But can they make it a living, feeling organ?
A tooth-regrowing drug is already in trials. Can this new stem cell science ever hope to compete?
Tooth regeneration seems possible for the young. But will it work for older adults with slower healing?
CXCL12+ and PTHrP+ Stem Cells Orchestrate Tooth Root Complex Formation via Wnt and Hedgehog Signaling
Overview
In 2025, researchers identified two key stem cell lineages essential for tooth root and alveolar bone development: CXCL12+ cells in the apical papilla and PTHrP+ cells in the dental follicle. CXCL12+ cells, regulated by Wnt signaling, generate odontoblasts, cementoblasts, and can form alveolar bone osteoblasts. PTHrP+ cells require precise Hedgehog signaling—transient activation followed by suppression—to differentiate into cementoblasts, periodontal ligament fibroblasts, and osteoblasts. The Gli2 and Gli3 transcription factors regulate TGF-β signaling, enabling proper lineage specification. Chronic inflammation reactivates Hedgehog signaling, blocking differentiation and impairing bone regeneration, but therapies like mesenchymal stem cell biocomplexes show promise in restoring a healing environment and promoting periodontal regeneration.