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Based on a new Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC study in the Journal of Dental Research, stem cells discovered in mouth tissue are multipurposeful with the edition of being extremely helpful. Because while many can be manipulated into other cells, they also possess the ability to fight off inflammatory disease. The study was funded by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.

The cells presented in the study are gingival mesenchymal stem cells (GMSC), which are located in the gingiva, or gum tissue, within the mouth. GMSC, like other stem cells, possess the ability to be manipulated and developed into different kinds of cells as well as impact the immune system.

"Gingiva is very unique in our bodyIt has much less inflammatory reaction and heals much faster when compared to skin,” said the study's senior author, Professor Songtao Shi.

On previous occasions, the developmental origins and capabilities of GMSC were never fully realized or explained. However, this recent study shows that there are two types of GMSC: those that come from the mesoderm layer of cells during embryonic development (M-GMSC) and those that arise from cranial neural crest cells (N-GMSC). The cranial neural crest cells develop into various significant structures of the head and face, and 90 percent of the gingival stem cells were expected to be found in the N-GMSC.

The two kinds of stem cells differ significantly in their abilities. N-GMSC were much more easier to manipulate into other kinds of cells, including neural and cartilage-producing cells; they also had a much more curative impact on inflammatory disease than their contemporaries did. When the N-GMSC was transplanted into mice with dextrate sulfate sodium-induced colitis, an inflamed condition of the colon, the inflammation was notably diminished.

The study specifies that the stem cells in the gingival, acquired through a basic biopsy of the gums, may have important medical applications in the future.

"We will further work on dissecting the details of the gingiva stem cells, especially their notable immunoregulatory property," said first author and specialized lab technician at the Ostrow School of Dentistry Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology, Xingtian Xu.

"Through the study of this unique oral tissue, we want to shed the light on the translational applications for improving skin wound healing and reducing scar formation."