Home
Business
Metro
Nation
World
Sports
Feature
Opinion
View more »Opinion Columns
Wan LixinOpinion deputy editor of Shanghai Daily
Understanding cultures vital to mankind’s shared future
China’s success can help in the betterment of the world
Sunday
- Subscribe
Scientists grow teeth using embryo cells
Source: Agencies |
August 5, 2009, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
SCIENTISTS in Japan have managed to grow fully functional teeth in adult mice using cells from an embryo, and they hope the same technology can be used to grow human organs in the future.
"This therapy has the potential to restore the partial loss of organ function," they wrote in their paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The researchers described how they had developed a "bioengineered tooth germ" - or seed containing certain cells taken from a mouse embryo. The seeds were later transplanted into the jawbones of adult mice.
By day 37 after the transplantation, the researchers noticed the bioengineered teeth were beginning to show and the rodents were able to nibble with their new tooth.
"The hardness of the enamel and dentin of the bioengineered tooth was equivalent to those of a natural adult tooth," they wrote in response to questions from the media.
The new tooth also came complete with nerve fibers and the mice responded to pain tests.
Led by Takashi Tsuji of the Research Institute of Science and Technology at the Tokyo University of Science, the team hopes this technology can be used to grow human organs.
"This therapy has the potential to restore the partial loss of organ function," they wrote in their paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The researchers described how they had developed a "bioengineered tooth germ" - or seed containing certain cells taken from a mouse embryo. The seeds were later transplanted into the jawbones of adult mice.
By day 37 after the transplantation, the researchers noticed the bioengineered teeth were beginning to show and the rodents were able to nibble with their new tooth.
"The hardness of the enamel and dentin of the bioengineered tooth was equivalent to those of a natural adult tooth," they wrote in response to questions from the media.
The new tooth also came complete with nerve fibers and the mice responded to pain tests.
Led by Takashi Tsuji of the Research Institute of Science and Technology at the Tokyo University of Science, the team hopes this technology can be used to grow human organs.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
