Phenotype properties of a novel spontaneously immortalized odontoblast-lineage cell line.

Here we report on the spontaneous immortalization upon serial passages of mouse fetal dental papilla cells, which present odontoblast phenotype features. The cells named odontoblast-lineage cell (OLC) produced dentin extracellular matrix proteins, such as DSP and DMP1, and maintained transcripts of various matrix components as osteopontin, BMP-4, procollagen-1, and MEPE. The addition of osteogenic differentiation medium with beta-glycerophosphate and ascorbic acid was effective for inducing calcification and mineralization in vitro in cell cultures for up to 28 days.