Growing new teeth ...

[PeaceBaby]

Found this exciting article today (since I am having some current dental issues, it is of especial interest, but alas, likely years down the road to actual clinical application!)

Body's Own Stem Cells Can Lead to Tooth Regeneration | Columbia University Medical Center

That's right, you would have the form integrated into your extraction socket, and presto, 9 weeks later, a whole new tooth.

And, it uses your own body's stem cells, so no controversy there.

Medicine, Star Trek style:

[YOUTUBE="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9tY5HEpR-U"]Doc gave me a pill and I grew a new kidney![/YOUTUBE]

Edit: Just looked up some more info on "cell homing" and the use of "bioscaffolds" - pretty amazing stuff. Here's a link to a study on joint regeneration too: Stem Cell 'Homing' Fixes Joints in Rabbit Experiments - ABC News

 

[Moiety]

Yeah, I've heard about this a year or so ago. It's pretty cool.

 

[PeaceBaby]

The press releases are May and July of 2010, respectively. No doubt the research has been ongoing however, for some time prior.

 

[PeaceBaby]

How do the stem cells in each respective location "know" to become a new tooth? Or a new joint? What enables the stem cell (of the host) to differentiate?

If anyone is knowledgeable in this area, please post and I'd appreciate your explanations.

Edit: Found the paper online: http://www.slideshare.net/popstarch...h-and-periodontal-regeneration-by-cell-homing

Plus the researchers regenerated the root and partial crown; they did not attempt to regenerate dentin or enamel.

 

[Chaotic Harmony]

Interesting... I would like to see how this works... I have a couple of baby teeth, that no permanent tooth was behind... So at 29 I still have two baby teeth because there wasn't a tooth behind it... Well, one has a permanent tooth behind it that never came down... Weird, huh?