Teething Issues

Stem cells promise a sort of biological alchemy – the ability to create almost anything from a generic starting point. They're cells of almost unlimited potential, and have researchers and doctors alike excited at the prospect of engineering new tissue to repair or replace damaged or aged material in the body. But harnessing their full potential is challenging, and not all stem cells are the same. Their location in the body can dictate their ultimate use. Now a study has discovered a new population in teeth. These stem cells (picture in green, migrating through a mouse tooth section) multiply to help form dentin – the tough material that covers teeth. The study also identified a key gene involved in these cells’ production and regulation, raising hopes that we may one day be able to control them, calling them into action to tackle tooth decay or damage.

Written by Anthony Lewis

Anthony Lewis

Writer

Ant was the web editor in the early days of BPoD, and has since worked with the UK’s top science organisations as a writer and multimedia producer. He now splits his time between freelance work and managing multimedia at The Lancet.

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• Image from work by Jemma Victoria Walker, Heng Zhuang, and colleagues
• Stem Cells & Regenerative Medicine Laboratory, Peninsula Dental School, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK
• Image copyright held by the original authors
• Research published in Nature Communications, August 2019