Assignment 9 completed. I was told the article was very good but that I should add pictures. I used a picture of a tooth and stated where stem cells are located in it.

A diagram of a human tooth. Stem cells are located in the pulp in the center.
A diagram of a human tooth. Stem cells are located in the pulp in the center.

Assignment 6 edit

The ancient Greeks postulated whether parts of the body could be regenerated in the 700s BC.[1] Skin grafting, invented in the late 19th century, can be thought of as the earliest major attempt to recreate bodily tissue to restore structure and function.[2] Advances in transplanting body parts in the 20th century further pushed the theory that body parts could regenerate and grow new cells. These advances led to tissue engineering, and from this field, the study of regenerative medicine expanded and began to take hold.[1] This began with cellular therapy, which led to the stem cell research that is widely being conducted today.[3]

The first cell therapies were intended to slow the aging process. This began in the 1930s with Paul Niehans, a Swiss doctor who was known to have treated famous historical figures such as Pope Pius XII, Charlie Chaplin, and king Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia. Niehans would inject cells of young animals (usually lambs or calves) into his patients in an attempt to rejuvenate them.[4] [5]In the year 1956, a more sophisticated process was created to treat leukemia by inserting bone marrow from a healthy person into a patient with leukemia. This process worked mostly due to both the donor and receiver in this case being identical twins. Nowadays, bone marrow can be taken from people who are similar enough to the patient who needs the cells to prevent rejection.[6]


In Dentistry edit

Regenerative medicine has been studied by dentists to find ways that damaged teeth can be repaired and restored to obtain natural structure and function.[7] Dental tissues are often damaged due to tooth decay, and are often deemed to be irreplaceable except by synthetic or metal dental fillings or crowns, which requires further damage to be done to the teeth by drilling into them to prevent the loss of an entire tooth.

Researchers from King’s College London have created a drug called Tideglusib that claims to have the ability to regrow dentin, the second layer of the tooth beneath the enamel which encases and protects the pulp (often referred to as the nerve).[8]

Animal studies conducted on mice in Japan in 2007 show great possibilities in regenerating an entire tooth. Some mice had a tooth extracted and the cells from bioengineered tooth germs were implanted into them and allowed to grow. The result were perfectly functioning and healthy teeth, complete with all three layers, as well as roots. These teeth also had the necessary ligaments to stay rooted in its socket and allow for natural shifting. They contrast with traditional dental implants, which are restricted to one spot as they are drilled into the jawbone.[9] [10]

A person’s baby teeth are known to contain stem cells that can be used for regeneration of the dental pulp after a root canal treatment or injury. These cells can also be used to repair damage from periodontitis, an advanced form of gum disease that causes bone loss and severe gum recession. Research is still being done to see if these stem cells are viable enough to grow into completely new teeth. Some parents even opt to keep their childrens' baby teeth in special storage with the thought that, when older, the children could use the stem cells within them to treat a condition.[11] [12]



Types of regenerative medicine edit

Stem Cell treatments

Stem cell treatments utilize a patient's stem cells, which are cells that are not yet given a function, so they mimic other cells around them and become one of them. Stem cells can be located in primary teeth(also called baby teeth), blood, bone marrow, and other parts of the body.[13]Stem cell procedures include extracting these cells and placing them near a damaged area of the body, and allowing them to mimic cells of the damaged part and facilitate healing.[14]Stem cell therapies are being researched to help people with cancer, burns, and arthritis.[15]

  1. ^ a b "What is Regenerative Medicine?". University of Nebraska Medical Center. University of Nebraska. Retrieved 27 June 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. ^ Rahlf, Sidsel Hald. "The Use of Skin Grafting for the Treatment of Burn Wounds in Denmark 1870-1960". PubMed. The National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  3. ^ Sampogna, Gianluca; Guraya, Salman Yousuf; Forgione, Atonello (September 2015). "Regenerative medicine: Historical roots and potential strategies in modern medicine". Science Direct. Journal of Microscopy and Ultrastructure. Retrieved 27 June 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. ^ New York Times (September 4, 1971). "Dr. Paul Niehans, Swiss Surgen, 89". New York Times. Retrieved 27 June 2020.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ^ Milton, Joyce (1998). Tramp: The Life of Charlie Chaplin. HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 0060170522.
  6. ^ "1956: The First Successful Bone Marrow Transplantation". Australian Cancer Research Foundation.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. ^ Steindorff, Marina M.; Lehl, Helena; Winkel, Andreas; Stiesch, Meike (February 2014). "Innovative approaches to regenerate teeth by tissue engineering". Science direct. Retrieved 27 June 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. ^ King's College London (March 10, 2020). "Teeth That Repair Themselves – Study Finds Success With Natural Tooth Repair Method". SciTech Daily. Retrieved 27 June 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  9. ^ "Japanese scientists grow teeth from single cells". Reuters. February 20, 2007. Retrieved 27 June 2020.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  10. ^ Normile, Dennis (August 3, 2009). "Researchers Grow New Teeth in Mice". Science Magazine – via sciencemag.org.
  11. ^ Childs, Dan (April 13 , 2009). "Could Baby Teeth Stem Cells Save Your Child?". ABC News. Retrieved 27 June 2020. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  12. ^ Ratan-NM, M. Pharm (April 30, 2020). "Repairing Teeth using Stem Cells". News Medical Life Sciences. Retrieved 27 June 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  13. ^ Greene, Benjamin (13 May 2019). "Where Do You Find Stem Cells, and Why Does That Matter?". Cryocell.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  14. ^ Singh, Jaspal (3 August 2017). "Types of Regenerative Medicine for Sports Injuries". Sports-health.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  15. ^ Mayo Clinic Staff (8 June 2019). "Stem cells: What they are and what they do". Mayo Clinic.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)