Dental follicle cell-conditioned medium enhances the formation of osteoclast-like multinucleated cells.

An influx of mononuclear cells and the subsequent increase of osteoclasts around tooth germs suggests that the dental follicle (DF) regulates or influences bone resorption required for tooth eruption. In order to study the effects of DF cell products on osteoclast formation during tooth eruption, a conditioned medium (CM) was created in which DF cells were added to mouse bone marrow cultures. Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP)-positive osteoclast-like multinucleated cells were formed in the presence of 10 nM 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2D3]. The CM, dose-dependently, stimulated the formation of TRAP-positive cells in the presence of 1,25(OH)2D3 for 14 days culture. The number of these cells decreased due to degradation in the control culture. A semi-solid methylcellulose assay in the presence of CM showed little expression of colony-stimulating activity. These results suggest that the DF cells of a developing tooth produce factor(s) that enhance osteoclast formation and bone resorption necessary for tooth eruption.