牙髓干細胞是存在于牙髓組織中的一種成體干細胞，可分化形成多種細胞類型。醫學研究認為，牙髓干細胞具有重要的治療潛力。此前，牙髓干細胞已應用于牙齒和顱面細胞的再生。研究小組說，他們的新研究結果表明，牙髓干細胞將來有望應用于細胞療法和再生醫療領域，尤其是治療與中樞神經系統相關的一些疾病。
研究小組還指出，牙髓干細胞提取方便，醫生可以十分方便地從患者牙齒中分離出牙髓干細胞。因此，他們認為可嘗試設立牙髓干細胞“銀行”，人們一旦患病，就可以提取自己事先保存的牙髓干細胞用于治療。自體干細胞治療可大大降低目前移植醫學領域常見的細胞排異反應。
接下來，該研究小組還計劃進行實驗，從患有亨廷頓病（一種遺傳性腦?。┖镒拥难例X中提取牙髓干細胞，觀察患病猴子的牙髓干細胞是否也能像健康猴子的牙髓干細胞那樣刺激大腦細胞發育。
Stem Cells Vol. 26 No. 10 October 2008, pp. 2654 -2663
Putative Dental Pulp-Derived Stem/Stromal Cells Promote Proliferation and Differentiation of Endogenous Neural Cells in the Hippocampus of mice
Anderson Hsien-Cheng Huanga,b, Brooke R. Snyderc,g, Pei-Hsun Chengc, Anthony W.S. Chancf
aGrace Dental Clinic, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan; 
bDepartment of Oral Pathology, School of Dentistry, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; 
cYerkes National Primate Research Center, 
dDepartment of Human Genetics, 
eGenetics and Molecular Biology Program, and 
fNeuroscience Program, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA; 
gCenter for Gene Therapy, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Until now, interest in dental pulp stem/stromal cell (DPSC) research has centered on mineralization and tooth repair. Beginning a new paradigm in DPSC research, we grafted undifferentiated, untreated DPSCs into the hippocampus of immune-suppressed mice. The rhesus DPSC (rDPSC) line used was established from the dental pulp of rhesus macaques and found to be similar to human bone marrow/mesenchymal stem cells, which express Nanog, Rex-1, Oct-4, and various cell surface antigens, and have multipotent differentiation capability. Implantation of rDPSCs into the hippocampus of mice stimulated proliferation of endogenous neural cells and resulted in the recruitment of pre-existing Nestin+ neural progenitor cells (NPCs) and β-tubulin-III+ mature neurons to the site of the graft. Additionally, many cells born during the first 7 days after implantation proliferated, forming NPCs and neurons, and, to a lesser extent, underwent astrogliosis, forming astrocytes and microglia, by 30 days after implantation. Although the DPSC graft itself was short term, it had long-term effects by promoting growth factor signaling. Implantation of DPSCs enhanced the expression of ciliary neurotrophic factor, vascular endothelial growth factor, and fibroblast growth factor for up to 30 days after implantation. In conclusion, grafting rDPSCs promotes proliferation, cell recruitment, and maturation of endogenous stem/progenitor cells by modulating the local microenvironment. Our results suggest that DPSCs have a valuable, unique therapeuticpotential, specifically as a stimulator and modulator of the local repair response in the central nervous system. DPSCs would be a preferable cell source for therapy due to the possibility of a "personalized" stem cell, avoiding the problems associated with host immune rejection.