Curr Stem Cell Res Ther. 2016 Nov 29. [Epub ahead of print]

The Epigenetic Regulation in Tooth Development and Regeneration.

Lin Y, Zheng L, Fan L, Kuang W, Guo R, Lin J, Wu J, Tan J¹.

Abstract

Teeth are formed through sequential and reciprocal interactions between epithelial and mesenchymal tissues and they are essential to physical and psychological health. In-depth knowledge of tooth development, from histology to the underlying mechanisms, is necessary for the regeneration of lost teeth. Therefore, the review firstly introduced tooth development, and summarized the use of tooth-derived stem cells. To date, epigenetic regulation has been shown to have roles in numerous activities, including odontogenesis. DNA methylation, histone modification and non-coding RNAs contribute to regulatory mechanisms in several dental stem cells.The statements also include the underlying epigenetic mechanisms of stem cells, and what's more, the potential use of stem cells for tooth regeneration.