Recruitment of dental pulp cells by dentine and pulp extracellular matrix components

The present study aimed to determine whether dentine tissue and preparations of extracellular matrix (ECM) from pulp (pECM) and dentine (dECM), and breakdown products, influenced pulp cell migration. Chemotaxis transwell and agarose spot assays demonstrated that both dentine and pulp ECM molecules acted as chemoattractants for primary pulp cells. Chemoattractant activities of dECM and pECM were enhanced when subjected to acid and enzymatic breakdown, respectively. This enhanced activity following physiologically relevant breakdown may be pertinent to the disease environment. Pulp cell migration in response to dental ECMs was dependent on an active rho pathway. Recruited cells exhibited increased stem cell marker expression indicating that dental ECMs and their breakdown products selectively attract progenitor cells that contribute to repair processes. In conclusion, combined these results indicate that ECM molecules contribute to cell recruitment necessary for regeneration of the dentine-pulp complex after injury. ► Dentine & pulp extracellular matrix (ECM) molecules are chemoattractants for primary pulp cells. ► Chemoattractant effects of ECM were enhanced following physiologically relevant degradation. ► Pulp cell migration in response to dental ECMs was dependent on an active rho pathway. ► ECM recruited pulp cells exhibited increased stem cell marker expression. ► Release of dental ECM molecules in disease contributes to cell recruitment necessary for repair.