With so much excitement about adult stem cells coming from our fat, it’s important to realize that stem cells exist in every organ within the human body. The latest confirmation of this comes from researchers at Tokyo University who recently published an article in scientific journal PLoS One documenting their successful growth of new teeth from adult stem cells in mice. The team removed molars from adult mice, extracted their stem cells, and then placed them in a mold to control the length and shape of the teeth. Next they placed the tooth ‘units’ into the lower jaw of one-month old mice. The new teeth started to fuse with the jawbone and tissues, as nerve fibers began to sprout. According to Masamitsu Oshima, assistant professor at the Research Institute for Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, “The bio-engineered teeth were fully functional … there was no trouble (with) biting and eating food after transplantation.” The team hoped its study could be a steppingstone for the development of new human organs from stem cells.
