Inflammation can activate and promote DPSC proliferation and differentiation to odontoblasts or fibroblasts in response to injury.44,45 The present observations revealed insignificantly increased numbers of MCAM(+)JAG(+)PDGFRA(−) cells, suggesting that the dental caries may evoke the proliferation and differentiation of different subpopulations of hDPSCs. Here, MCAM is linked to dental caries.