Scientists Identify New Oral Stem Cells in Wound Healing Process
A team led by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has found a unique set of stem cells located on the roof of the mouth begin dividing in response to wounding and move toward the site of injury.
A team led by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has found a unique set of stem cells located on the roof of the mouth begin dividing in response to wounding and move toward the site of injury.
The team labeled and tracked oral epithelial stem cells in mice and compared cell behaviors across different tissues in the mouth. They found a new type of stem cell (slow-cycling cells) in the roof of the mouth. They then examined the stem cells’ reactions to various levels of physical stress. Researchers found the slow-cycling stem cells began rapid dividing and migrated into the injury in response to a small puncture wound in the hard palate of the mice.
Researchers report that by analyzing the cells’ RNA sequences, a gene, Lrig1, showed high activity, or expression, in the slow-cycling stem cells. LRIG1 expression decreased near wounds in the hard palate and increased in response to a soft diet. These findings suggest that LRIG1 plays an important role in keeping the cells dividing slowly under low-stress conditions, according to the study published in Cell Stem Cell.
The research was supported by theNational Institute of Health’s National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, and the National Cancer Institute.
