BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Many studies have confirmed that periodontal disease interacts with diabetes. The aim of this study was to examine whether the advanced glycosylated end products (AGEs), which are generated by diabetics, have important effects on the osteogenic differentiation of periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study PDLSCs were isolated from the periodontal ligaments of extracted third molar teeth. The subjects were divided into two groups, which included the normal control group (N-PDLSCs) and the AGEs-stimulating group (A-PDLSCs). Changes of receptor of AGEs (RAGE) and cumulative ROS in PDLSCs were monitored by western blot and flow cytometry, respectively. RESULTS: < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Our conclusions were that AGEs may cause the apoptosis of stem cells, which could lead to the disorder of bone differentiation function of PDLSCs.