We have examined and compared the effects of various differentiation-inducing media on mineralization, cell morphology and expression of pOBCol3.6GFP (3.6-GFP) in primary dental pulp cultures derived from 3.6-GFP transgenic mice. Our results show that media containing ascorbic acid only could not induce mineralization in primary dental pulp cultures. On the other hand, media containing ascorbic acid and beta-glycerophosphate induced formation of mineralized matrix-containing dentin. The amount of mineralized matrix was increased by addition of dexamethasone. Cells treated with ascorbic acid and beta-glycerophosphate were fibroblast like and cells treated with dexamethasone were cuboidal. In all culture conditions, high levels of 3.6-GFP were expressed in areas of mineralization.
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