Effects of tenascin-C on dental pulp tissue in mice in vivo and on the proliferation and differentiation of dental pulp stem cells into odontoblasts and calcification in vitro.

A study investigated the effects of tenascin-C (TN-C) on dental pulp tissue and dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs). In in vivo studies on mice, TN-C was found to reduce inflammation in the dental pulp tissue and promote the differentiation of DPSCs into odontoblast-like cells. In in vitro studies, TN-C did not significantly affect the proliferation rate of DPSCs, but it did increase the expression of nestin mRNA and decrease the expression of osteocalcin mRNA. Additionally, fewer calcified nodules formed in the presence of TN-C. These findings suggest that TN-C may regulate inflammation and contribute to the inhibition of excessive dentin formation. [Extracted from the article]