The International and American Associations for Dental Research have published a paper titled “Gingivae Contain Neural-crest- and Mesoderm-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells.” The paper, written by lead author Songtao Shi, Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology, Ostrow School of Dentistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA, is published in the Online First portion of the IADR/AADR Journal of Dental Research.

Gingivae represent a unique soft tissue that serves as a biological barrier to cover the oral cavity side of the maxilla and mandible. Recently, the gingivae were identified as containing mesenchymal stem cells (GMSCs). However, it is unknown whether the GMSCs are derived from cranial neural crest cells (CNCC) or the mesoderm.