Spontaneous Differentiation of Dental Pulp stem cells on Dental polymers

Dental pulp stem cells were plated on two dentally relevant materials i.e. PMMA commonly used for denture and Titanium used for implants. In both cases, we probed for the role of surface interaction and substrate morphology. Different films of PMMA were spun cast directly onto Si wafers; PMMA fibers of different diameters were electro spun onto some of these substrates. Titanium metal was evaporated onto Si surfaces using an electron beam evaporator. In addition, on some surfaces, P4VP nanofibers were spun cast. DPSC were grown in alpha-MEM supplemented with 10\% fetal bovine serum, 0.2mM L-ascorbic acid 2-phosphate, 2mm glutamine and 10mM beta-glycerol phosphate either with or without 10nM dexamethasone. After 21 days samples were examined using confocal microscopy of cells and by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Energy dispersive X-ray Analysis (EDAX). In the case of Titanium biomineralization was observed independent of dexamethasone, where the deposits were templated along the fibers. Minimal biomineralization was observed on flat Titanium and PMMA samples. Markers of osteogenesis and specific signaling pathways are being evaluated by RT-PCR, which are up regulated on each surface, to understand the fundamental manner in which surfaces interact with cell differentiation.