Cementoblasts maintain expression of osteocalcin in the presence of mineral trioxide aggregate.

This study investigated the effects of mineral trioxide aggregate on cementoblast growth and osteocalcin production in tissue culture. For cellular morphology studies, cementoblasts on mineral trioxide aggregate, IRM, and amalgam were incubated for 48 h then fixed for scanning electron microscopic analysis. For gene expression on mineral trioxide aggregate and IRM, reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction was performed using primer sets for glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, type I collagen, alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin, and bone sialoprotein after 3 and 5 days.