Extracted wisdom teeth could be new stem cell reservoirs

Washington, June 26 (ANI): The wisdom teeth that you get removed might just prove to be a treasure trove for stem cell researchers-as extracted teeth could provide a non-controversial source of stem cells, according to a new Japanese study.

Like cells from embryos, the soft living tissue from inside teeth can be induced to become what are known as pluripotent stem cells, which have the potential to form several different cell types.

However, unlike embryonic cells, which are extracted from days-old human embryos, generating stem cells from dental pulp is a relatively non-invasive and non-controversial process.

For a long time, studies on stem cells taken from baby teeth and extracted wisdom teeth have been under way, but now, Japanese scientists have no shown that dental pulp stem cells extracted from wisdom teeth can be coaxed into returning to a generic, form-any-cell state.

These cells then, in turn, can be used to create stem cell banks with lines that are genetically compatible with 20 percent of the Japanese population.

And follow-up studies could boost that percentage even more.

"Those cells have tremendous regenerative potential," Discovery News quoted William Giannobile, editor of the Journal of Dental Research, which published the study, as saying.

Of six cell lines tested, researchers could establish five viable lines, reports lead scientist Ken-ichi Tezuka, from Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine in Japan.

"One of the exciting things about dental pulp stem cells is how accessible they are, especially when you think about primary teeth. We and others have been able to extract stem cells from teeth that would have fallen out anyway," added Jacques Nor, a professor and researcher at University of Michigan's School of Dentistry.

The aim of stem cell research is to create techniques to replace diseased cells and regenerate the body.

"This study is an important first step, showing the potential of opening stem cell banks. You wouldn't have to give up your own teeth to take advantage of this. The emphasis will now be on the safety aspects to make sure the cells that have been derived don't have tumorigenic potential," said Giannobile. (ANI)