Japanese Scientists Grow Teeth In Mice

by Annina Bergman | August 11, 2009 at 01:09 pm
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Scientists in Japan have managed to grow fully functional teeth in mice using stem cells, and are hopeful the same technique can be used to grow human organs in the future.

The researchers created a seed containing cells from a mouse embryo, and later planted it into the jawbones of adult mice. The teeth then grew into place, complete with nerve fibres and enamel.

Scientists have previously been able to grow tissue in laboratories and transplant it into live animals, but this is the first time that the tissue was allowed to grow in the animal. The japanese team now harbour hopes that this technique can be used to grow human organs.

"Our study provides the first evidence of a successful replacement of an entire and fully functioning organ in an adult body through the transplantation of bioengineered organ germ, reconstituted by single cell manipulation in vitro," said Takashi Tsuji, one of the study's authors and a professor at Tokyo University of Science.

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