Periostin, a matricellular protein first found in rat osteoblast with cell adhesion function, is essential for the function maintenance of extracellular matrix and is expressed in various stages of embryonic development and various adult tissues, such as bone, heart, lung, artery, vein, and periodontal ligament. The function of periostinin cardiovascular physiology or occurrence and development of tumor has been fully studied. The function of periostin in human periodontal ligament cells and tooth development has gained much interest. Many studies have revealed that periostin plays multiple functions in periodontal ligament formation as well as in human periodontal ligament cell recruitment, adhesion, and differentiation and plays a key role in the remodeling of the periodontal ligament. The formation of collagen fiber is a complicated process, with multiple matricellular proteins involved. Periostin interacts with collagen and can maintain the integrity of periodontal ligament under mechanical stress. The present article reviews the development of periostin research on periodontal ligament function maintenance.
