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Fully Functional Bioengineered Tooth Grown In a Mouse

Posted by kdawson on from the tooth-the-whole-tooth dept.

A couple of weeks back the Wall Street Journal reported on the first organ grown in vivo from stem cells — a tooth in the mouth of a mouse. Reader cdrpsab spotted the news on the MedGadget blog; the research had been reported earlier in the PNAS. From the WSJ: "The researchers at the Tokyo University of Science created a set of cells that contained genetic instructions to build a tooth, and then implanted this 'tooth germ' into the mouse's empty tooth socket. The tooth grew out of the socket and through the gums, as a natural tooth would. Once the engineered tooth matured, after 11 weeks, it had a similar shape, hardness and response to pain or stress as a natural tooth, and worked equally well for chewing. The researchers suggested that using similar techniques in humans could restore function to patients with organ failure."

3 of 264 comments (clear)

  1. Strange Leap by Toonol · · Score: 5, Funny

    The researchers suggested that using similar techniques in humans could restore function to patients with organ failure."

    The submitter got me, I have to admit. I was reading the summary, thinking that it would end with "could allow humans to regrow teeth"... but they pulled a zigzag, and went a different direction. Organs. Wow. Did M. Knight Shamalyan write this summary?

  2. Re:I have a friend who grew a tooth. by jcr · · Score: 5, Funny

    Not that I know of, but he wins more than he loses at poker.

    -jcr

    --
    The only title of honor that a tyrant can grant is "Enemy of the State."
  3. Re:I have a friend who grew a tooth. by Mister_Stoopid · · Score: 5, Funny

    Got a bit of shark in him, eh?

    jcr: "No, Why?"
    shark: "Does he want some?"

    *rimshot*