Autophagy and Oral Tissue Regeneration: A Comprehensive Review

This review focuses on the role of autophagy in regulating stem cells and promoting oral tissue regeneration. We explore how autophagy helps oral stem cells cope with survival stress and provide an overview of the autophagy machinery in eukaryotic cells. Additionally, we examine how autophagy contributes to different aspects of oral tissue regeneration and describe the molecular mechanisms involved in autophagy-regulated tissue regeneration. We also discuss methods of regulating autophagy through small molecule drugs, biomaterials, exosomes/RNAs or other specific treatments. Finally, we provide new perspectives on how to manipulate autophagy to promote oral tissue regeneration.

Despite significant progress in our understanding of autophagy and its role in tissue regeneration, the exact mechanism through which autophagy contributes to oral tissue regeneration remains unclear. Further mechanistic studies are necessary for therapeutic purposes. This review provides new insights into human tissue regeneration and can serve as a useful resource for further autophagy studies on oral tissue and other tissue regeneration.