人牙髓中含有牙髓干细胞(DPSC)，具有自我更新和多向分化能力，且能分泌多种促血管形成和抗凋亡的因子。本研究中我们首先扩增用逆转录病毒转染GFP的DPSC，利用冠状动脉结扎制造心肌梗死裸鼠模型，然后心肌内注射1.5x10(6) GFP-DPSC。4周后通过观察实验组大鼠前壁增厚、左室面积变化分数、梗死区减小判定心功能增强。梗死区未见GFP(+) 内皮细胞、平滑肌或心肌细胞，但血管形成多于对照组。综上表明DPSC可以成为心肌修复的替代细胞，有望用于心肌梗死等疾病的治疗。

 Stem Cells. 2007 Dec 13 [Epub ahead of print]
    Human Dental Pulp Stem Cells Improve Left Ventricular Function, Induce Angiogenesis and Reduce Infarct Size in Rats With Acute Myocardial Infarction.
    Gandia C, Armi?an A, García-Verdugo JM, Lledó E, Ruiz A, Mi?ana MD, Sanchez-Torrijos J, Payá R, Mirabet V, Carbonell-Uberos F, Llop M, Montero JA, Sepúlveda P.

    Unidad de Cardiorregeneración, Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe, Valencia, Spain.

    Human dental pulp contains precursor cells termed dental pulp stem cells (DPSC) that show self-renewal and multi-lineage differentiation and also secrete multiple pro-angiogenic and anti-apoptotic factors. To examine if these cells could have therapeutic potential in the repair of myocardial infarction (MI), DPSC were infected with a retrovirus encoding the GFP protein and expanded ex vivo. Seven days after induction of myocardial infarction by coronary artery ligation, 1.5x10(6) GFP-DPSC were injected intramyocardically in nude rats. At 4 weeks, cell treated animals showed an improvement in cardiac function, observed by percentage changes in anterior wall thickening (AWT) left ventricular fractional area change (FAC), in parallel with a reduction in infarct size. No histologic evidence was seen of GFP(+) endothelial cells, smooth or cardiac muscle cells within the infarct. However, angiogenesis was increased relative to control treated animals. Taken together these data suggest that DPSC could provide a novel alternative cell population for cardiac repair, at least in the setting of acute MI.