KEYWORDS calcium silicate cement; endodontic material; fibroblast growth factor-2; osteogenesis; pulp cell Abstract Background/purpose: To examine the effects of fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2)/ calcium silicate (CS) cement on material characters and in vitro primary human dental pulp cell (hDPC) behavior. Materials and methods: Setting time and diametral tensile strength (DTS) of CS and CS/FGF-2 composite were measured. PrestoBlue assay was used for evaluating primary hDPC proliferation.

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... aline phosphatase and osteocalcin expression in HDPCs cultured on the specimens were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. One-way analysis of variance was used to evaluate the significance of the differences between the mean values. Results: Setting time and DTS of CS were not significantly different (P > 0.05) between CS hydration with H 2 O or FGF-2. Cell proliferation and osteogenic properties increased significantly (P < 0.05) with FGF-2 mixed CS. The CS/FGF-2 composite enhanced hDPC proliferation and osteogenic differentiation as compared to pure CS cement. Conclusion: CS combined with FGF-2 is biocompatible with hDPCs. It not only promotes hDPC proliferation but also helps in differentiating reparative hard tissue. Thus, we suggest that the CS/FGF-2 composite has the potential for hard tissue defect repair.