Recently, foreign researchers successfully separated stromal stem cells from apical dental papilla by enzyme digestion. It was found that stem cell from the apical papilla had significantly greater bromodeoxyuridine uptake rate, number of population doublings, and tissue regeneration capacity, when compared with dental pulp stem cell. The investigations suggested that stem cell from the apical papilla were a unique population of postnatal stem cell which distincted from dental pulp stem cell. Therefore, the aim of this paper was to summarize the biological characteristics of stem cell from the apical papilla, its potential role in continued root formation, and its application in engineering.
