differentiation stage. Chondroblast markers in BMP2-differentiated cells and general markers for cell differentiation/proliferation in IGF2-treated cells were significantly regulated. However, ODM-treated DFCs expressed late markers of osteogenic-differentiated DFCs such as the transcription factor ZBTB16 that is not expressed in BMP2- or IGF2-differentiated cells. Therefore, this study shows that osteogenic differentiation of DFCs can be triggered with all tested inducers. However to analyse this mechanism, the transcription factor ZBTB16 is a target for further investigations. DLX3, a transcription factor, which is related to the induced BMP2 pathway in osteogenic differentiated DFCs was able to trigger cell viability and the osteogenic differentiation of DFCs via the BMP2/Smad1 feedback loop ). DFCs control the proportional amount of all three periodontal tissues, which includes a good balance between the size of the periodontal ligament and the amount of the surrounding cementum and alveolar bone. A high level of periodontal ligament in the periodontium supports the growth of the cementum and the alveolar bone. This is why a soft extracellular matrix supports the osteogenic differentiation of DFCs. The Migration Capacity of DFCs The migration capacity of DFCs can be histological examined, during this, DFCs demonstrate an extensive migratory capacity for dental mesenchymal stem cells, during the initial stages of tooth root development. When compared with the migration capacity of stem cells from the dental pulp of baby teeth and stem cells from the dental apical papilla (dental neural crest derived progenitor cells, dNC-PCs), DFCs are found to have the highest cell migration velocity. Furthermore, DFC migration can be accelerated during cultivation, with the use of growth factors found in the dental hard tissue matrix such as TGF-β or BMP2 which have also been found to be involved in the differentiation of DFCs Follicle-Derived Embryonic Neural Crest Stem Cells (FENCSCs) FENCSCs are a sub-population of DFCs, however both differ in their in cell migration properties. FENSCs express high levels of embryonic stem cell markers (TRA1-60, TRA1-81, OCT-4) and mRNA transcripts for Nanog and Rex-1. They have the ability to differentiate into cells of all three germ layers. Some examples include, smooth and skeletal muscle, osteoblasts, neurons, glial cells, and adipocytes and therefore display pluripotency. These cells also have high levels of telomerase activity. A strategy that enables isolation of specific types of stem cells within the dental follicle such as FENCSCs, is known as Fluorescent Activated Cell Sorting. Cell culturing is also important to consider understanding