Dental Breakthrough: Mouse Stem Cells Grow Teeth
The wonders of stem cell research seems to know no bounds as a group of scientists in Japan have created entire teeth units complete with connective fibers and bones via the stem cells of mice. The findings were published in PLoS One (Public Library of Science).
Researchers hope that this research marks the first step in the long journey of being able to develop new human organs grown from a patient’s own stem cells.
Working in a laboratory, the scientific team removed two types of stem cells from the molar teeth of mice, placed and in a mold, where they grew into entire tooth units. They were then transplanted into the lower jaws of one-month-old mice. These new teeth fused after 40 days.
“The bioengineered teeth were fully functional … There was no trouble (with) biting and eating food after transplantation,” wrote Masamitsu Oshima, assistant professor at the Research Institute for Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science.