Feeder-free derivation of induced pluripotent stem cells from human immature dental pulp stem cells.

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can be created by forcing expression of certain genes in fibroblasts or other somatic cell types, reversing them to a pluripotent state similar to that of embryonic stem cells (ESC). Here, we used human immature dental pulp stem cells (hIDPSCs) as an alternative source for creating iPSC. hIDPSCs can be easily isolated from accessible tissue of young and adult patients. hIDPSCs possess a fibroblast-like morphology, retaining characteristics of adult multipotent stem cells. Reprogramming of hIDPSCs was fast, producing primary hIDPSC-iPSC colonies even under feeder-free conditions. hIDPSCs acquired ESC-like morphology, expressed pluripotent markers, possessed stable, normal karyotypes, and demonstrated the ability to differentiated in vitro and in vivo. Our data demonstrate that hIDPSCs-iPSCs offer an advantageous cell system for future cell therapy and basic studies, particularly as a model for pediatric developmental disorders.