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Skin epithelial cells as possible substitutes for ameloblasts during tooth regeneration

The disappearance of ameloblasts in erupted teeth hampers the implementation of tissue engineering‐based tooth regeneration. We aimed at utilizing skin epithelial cells as the appropriate substitute for ameloblasts. The conversion potential of 1 day postnatal rat skin epithelial cells to ameloblasts was investigated under the induction of dental papillae mesenchymal cells (DPMCs). Induction strategies had been designed both in vitro and in vivo. Markers for ameloblasts had been detected in skin epithelial cells, which showed a columnar appearance with the nuclei located at one side, under indirect co‐culture with DPMCs in vitro. An enamel–dentine‐like and tooth germ‐like structure was formed by recombining skin epithelial pieces or cells with DPMCs after 14 days of implantation in rat renal capsule. Immunohistochemistry and cell labelling analysis further demonstrated that the enamel‐forming cells were skin epithelium‐derived. These results indicated that the skin epithelium‐derived cells from postnatal rats have the potential to convert to functional ameloblasts under effective induction. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.