RESPONSE OF ODONTOBLAST-LIKE CELLS TO HYDROXYAPATITE CERAMIC GRANULES

this study the inductive influence of hydroxyapatite ceramic (HAC) gra nules on preodontoblast differentiation was investigated. Dental papil la cells harvested from upper molar tooth germs were implanted intramu scularly in a pouch created for this purpose. Six months after surgery tooth-root-like bodies had developed with pulp-like cavities in the s pecimens in which dental papilla cells had been implanted with and wit hout HAC. These bodies consisted of regular tubular dentine in the cen tral part, fibrodentine peripherally and sometimes osteodentine. HAC w as haphazardly enclosed in these rootlike bodies, whereas the implanta tion of HAC alone had no effect.