RESUMO
The aim of this study is to compare the characteristics of stem cells derived from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED) from cryopreserved intact deciduous teeth with those of fresh SHED. In total, 20 exfoliated deciduous teeth were randomly divided into a fresh group (f-SHED; n = 11) and cryopreserved group (c-SHED; n = 9; stored for 1-8 months). Following thawing and separation of the pulp, the SHED cells were cultured, and the characteristics as mesenchymal stem cells were investigated using proliferation assays, cell-cycle analysis, colony-forming unit-fibroblast (CFU-F) assays, and flow cytometry analyses. Furthermore, differentiation into adipogenic and osteogenic lineages was investigated in vitro as well as in vivo via transplantation in mice. We found no significant differences between the two groups in the proliferation analyses, in the expression of mesenchymal stem cell markers, or in the adipogenic and osteogenic differentiation in vitro (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the in vivo transplantation results showed no significant differences in the quantity of bone tissue that formed or in histochemistry performance (p < 0.05). In conclusion, cryopreservation of intact exfoliated deciduous teeth appears to be a useful method for preserving SHED.