Current knowledge: The regenerative potential of periosteum-derived cells and their application in oral and craniofacial therapy

Different types of adult mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been isolated from numerous tissues and confirmed to acquire specific characteristics and differentiation potency. Over the past few decades, many researchers have reported that the periosteum, an important tissue in embryogenesis, fracture healing, and cartilage repair, contains a population of such cells that mediate the repair of bone defects and could provide cells for osteochondral tissue engineering. Furthermore, recent reports on oral, maxillofacial and orthopedic reconstructive procedures have focused on the periosteum as an ideal source for bone tissue engineering due to its abundance, easy accessibility, superior growth rate and high culture success rate. This manuscript reviews the unique characteristics of periosteum-derived cells (PCs) for tissue engineering purposes and discusses their regenerative potential. In addition, this report summarizes the most recent information and outcomes for various oral and craniofacial reconstructive procedures using PCs in human and animal research published to date. Finally, we discuss the different aspects of using this technology and identify areas for future research.