Although previous studies have combined mesenchymal and epithelial stem cells to artificially
recapitulate tooth development, little is known about the basic molecular makeup and minimal
extracellular scaffolding necessary to maintain the epithelial stem cell population and induce
differentiation. It has also been increasingly apparent that the extracellular microenvironment can
guide and direct cellular behavior. We have previously shown that microscale topography
increased proliferation and differentiation of retinal progenitor cells. We have successfully isolated
dental epithelial stem cells from the cervical loop of the murine mandibular incisor. Cells were
viable in a 2D system atop several different extracellular matrix substrates and probed for the
presence of stem cell and differentiation markers. Our results suggest that E-cadherin, Bmi-1,
and Gli-1 are potential markers of dental epithelial stem cells. Finally, we were able to fabricate
scaffolds using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) with and without microtopographical features in
order to determine the effects of topography on the self-renewal and differentiation of murine
dental epithelial stem cells. Insights into the molecular and environmental mechanisms
responsible for stem cell maintenance could prove beneficial for the successful generation of
bioengineered teeth from adult stem cell populations.