Evaluation of the periodontal regenerative properties of patterned human periodontal ligament stem cell sheets.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the effects of patterned human periodontal ligament stem cell (hPDLSC) sheets fabricated using a thermoresponsive substratum.

Methods: In this study, we fabricated patterned hPDLSC sheets using nanotopographical cues to modulate the alignment of the cell sheet.

Results: The hPDLSCs showed rapid monolayer formation on various surface pattern widths.

Control of the interface between heterotypic cell populations reveals the mechanism of intercellular transfer of signaling proteins.

Direct intercellular transfer of cellular components is a recently described general mechanism of cell–cell communication. It is a more non-specific mode of intercellular communication that is not actively controlled by the participating cells. Though membrane bound proteins and small non-protein cytosolic components have been shown to be transferred between cells, the possibility of transfer of cytosolic proteins has not been clearly established, and its mechanism remains unexplained.