Thesis (M.Sc.)--Chulalongkorn University, 2011

Objective The aim of this study was to examine the ability of SHED seeded in polycaprolactone/hydroxyapatite (PCL/HAp) scaffolds to differentiate into osteogenic cell in 6 Wistar Rat. Materials and Methods Stem cell from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED) has been documented to possess several stem cell characteristics including a highly proliferative rate and the capability to differentiate into several cell types such as odontoblasts, adipocytes, neural cells, and osteoblasts. The expression of mesenchymal stem cells as well as the ability of osteogenic differentiation of SHED in vitro was examined. SHED cells were seeded on the PCL/HAp scaffold for 30 minutes and transplant into 4 mm. diameter defects in calvarial of Wistar Rat. In control, the scaffolds without cells were transplant into the defect. After 8 weeks, the calvarials were removed, fixed with formaldehyde, decalcified with EDTA and processed for paraffin section. The sections were stained with Masson’s Trichrome. Result The results indicated the increased in osteoid formation and woven bone structures in the scaffold with SHED compared to the control using scaffold alone. Conclusion SHED is a useful source of stem cells. The results suggest the potential to use these cells for bone tissue engineering. However, further studies are necessary to investigate the safety of the protocol in longer period of treatment.