Stem cells hold the key to wound healing, as they develop into specialized cell types throughout the body—including in teeth.
In a recent study from the University of Plymouth and elsewhere, scientists found a mechanism that could offer a potential novel solution to tooth repair.
They discovered a new population of mesenchymal stem cells (the stem cells that make up skeletal tissue such as muscle and bone).
These cells contribute to the formation of tooth dentin, the hard tissue that covers the main body of a tooth.
The study is published in Nature Communications. One author is Dr. Bing Hu from the University of Plymouth.
Importantly, the study showed that when these stem cells are activated, they then send signals back to the mother cells of the tissue to control the number of cells produced, through a molecular gene called Dlk1.
The gene called Dlk1 can enhance stem cell activation and tissue regeneration in tooth healing.
According to the team, this mechanism could provide a novel solution for tooth reparation, dealing with problems such as tooth decay and crumbling (known as caries) and trauma treatment.
Further research needs to take place to validate the findings for clinical applications.
The team says stem cells are so important and they could be used by laboratories to regenerate tissues that have been damaged or lost due to disease.
The study is a big breakthrough in regenerative medicine that could have huge implications for patients in the future.
They hope the new method could provide dental patients better time and cost-effective solutions to serious tooth problems—from trauma to caries.
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