Prof. Sandu Pitaru

Professor of Oral Biology, Goldschleger School of Dental Medicine, Sackler Faculty of Medicine

A Novel Primitive Stem Cell Population in Adult and Elderly Oral Mucosa – Basic Research and Clinical Translation

Our research focuses on the biology of a new stem cell population recently discovered in our laboratory. We found, that in contrast to other tissues, the oral mucosa of the adult and elderly organism harbors a primitive neural crest-like stem cell population, which is capable of expressing embryonic associated markers and of differentiating into cell lineages of the 3 germ layers – ectoderm, mesoderm and endoderm. We term this population “oral mucosa derived stem cells – OMSC”. Using cutting edge technologies, we are investigating the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms that maintain such a fetal-like stem cell population in the adult and aging oral mucosa, and study how these mechanisms and OMSC are affected by chronic and neurodegenerative diseases as diabetes and Parkinson’s Disease. By elucidating these mechanisms, we aim to develop new therapeutic approaches for treating chronic diseases associated with ageing.

Based on OMSC plasticity and stemness we are currently testing their therapeutic potential for the treatment of diabetic chronic wounds, Parkinson’s disease, skeletal defects, inflammatory bowel disorders, retinal disorders and periodontal diseases.

We have developed unique fibrin-based matrices for OMSC delivery and tissue engineering purposes.

Friedmann A, Gissel K, Soudan M, Kleber BM, Pitaru S, Dietrich T. Randomized controlled 

trial on lateral augmentation using two collagen membranes: morphometric results on mineralized tissue compound. J Clin Periodontol. 2011;38:677- 85.

Gafni Y, Rachima H, Marynka-Kalmani K., Blatt A, Vered Z, Pitaru S. A new in vivo/in vitro model for assessing the capacity of human derived oral mucosa stem cells to colonize the infarcted myocardium. Stem Cell Studies. 2011;1:42-47.

Treves-Manusevitz S, Hoz L, Rachima H, Montoya G, Tzur E, Vardimon A, Narayanan AS, Amar S, Arzate H, Pitaru S. Stem cells of the lamina propria of human oral mucosa and gingiva develop into mineralized tissues in vivo. J Clin Periodontol 2013;40:73-81.

Ganz J, Arie I, Ben Zur T, Dadon-Nachum M, Pour S, Araidy S, Pitaru S, Offen D. Astrocyte-like cells derived from human oral mucosa stem cells provide neuroprotection in vitro and in vivo. Stem Cells Transl Med 2014;3:375-86.

Ganz J, Arie I, Buch S, Zur TB, Barhum Y, Pour S, Araidy S, Pitaru S, Offen D. Dopaminergic-like neurons derived from oral mucosa stem cells by developmental cues improve symptoms in the hemiparkinsonian rat model. PLoS One. 20149(6):e100445.

• 2012 – 2016 Oral mucosa stem cells for the generation of a primordial periodontium - The effect of aging and
  diabetes type 2. US-Israel Binational Science Foundation