Stem cells grow fully functional new teeth

(Medical Xpress) -- Researchers from Japan recently published a paper in PLoS One describing their successful growth and transplantation of new teeth created from the stem cells of mice.

In order to create these teeth, Takashi Tsuji from Tokyo University of Science and his team removed two different stem cells from the molar teeth of mice. They took these stem cells to grow in the laboratory. In order to control how the teeth grew, as far as shape and length, the stem cells were placed in a mold to grow.
Once the cells grew into full tooth units, the researchers then transplanted them into the jaws of one-month-old mice. These transplanted teeth fused with the jaw bones and tissues on an average of about 40 days. The researchers were also able to detect nerve fibers growing in the new teeth.
The mice that received the transplanted teeth were able to eat and chew normally without any complications.
Tsuji hopes that this new development will help further the research being done to allow for the growth of human organs from a patient’s own stem cells. Currently researchers do not have the ability to culture three-dimensional organs outside of the body. The hope is the growth of these teeth will be the beginning step that is needed.
Tsuji stresses that in order for reparative therapy to be successful, it is important to find the right seed cells. Because the stem cells used for these teeth were taken directly from the molars of the mice, they were able to grow into teeth, complete with enamel and dental bones.
Researchers believe that down the road it may be possible to do this with adult stem cells or cells found in human wisdom teeth and allow for actual teeth to be implanted replacing teeth lost to dental decay or injury.

More information: Oshima M, Mizuno M, Imamura A, Ogawa M, Yasukawa M, et al. (2011) Functional Tooth Regeneration Using a Bioengineered Tooth Unit as a Mature Organ Replacement Regenerative Therapy. PLoS ONE 6(7): e21531. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0021531

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