Historical Perspective of Periodontal Progenitor Cells: Early Studies That Clarified Identity and Function

Abstract

Pioneering studies using cell kinetics, transplantation and wound healing models that were conducted in the 1960s–1980s provided critical insights into the proliferative and differentiation capacity of cell populations in the periodontium. These experiments showed that the periodontium, in general, and the periodontal ligament, in particular, comprise progenitor cell populations that can give rise to cells that synthesize bone, cementum and fibrous connective tissue. These insights ultimately led to the discovery of multipotent progenitors that are just now being studied to define their contributions to periodontal regeneration. Despite the limitations that were inherent in these earlier approaches, data from these experiments enabled major strides in exploiting the transformative potential of stem cell biology to provide improved outcomes in periodontal therapy.