Teeth First: Baby tooth stem cells show medical promise
William A. Keaty
news@theadvertiser.
In 2000, the researchers at the National Institute of Health
discovered stem cells in adult teeth; this sparked the interest of
Sontaosa Shi, who was part of the research team. He decided to test
baby teeth to see if they also had stem cells. At the time, his
daughter lost a baby tooth so he brought it to the lab, extracted the
pulp and incubated it in a pitre dish. To his amazement, stem cells
grew.
Stem cells are cells that are not mature and that are not specialized
and can grow into different types of tissue, such as heart, muscle,
nerves or blood components. The two characteristics that distinguish
stem cells from normal cells are that they can differentiate into
other types of tissue and they divide and multiply very rapidly for
long periods of time.
The baby tooth stem cells meet these requirements and qualify as true
stem cells. Some of the research has shown baby tooth stem cells can
grow much faster than the adult tooth stem cell. Researchers now
think that baby stem cells are more immature than adult cells and
have the potential to develop into a variety of different tissues and
particularly seem to develop into nerve tissue more readily than
other types of stem cells. Shi's team has dubbed these cells "SHED,"
which stands for Stem cells from Human Exfoliated Deciduous Teeth.
This discovery has spurred the interest of researchers throughout the
world involving baby tooth stem cells. One researcher, Dr.
Christopher Nosrat, with the University of Michigan, states these
cells may play an important role in treating Parkinson's disease.
Other stem cell experiments have failed in treatment of this disease,
but Nosrat says he feels that the baby tooth stem cells are much more
robust. Beside the potential of growing new nerve tissue, they also
have been found to release chemicals that help the remaining nerves
survive.
Scientists have indicated that baby tooth stem cells may soon be
banked like umbilical cord stem cells, saving these stem cells for
treatment of ailments or diseases that may appear later in life.
There is an advantage to using one's own stem cells; there is much
less chance of rejection and tooth stem cells could possibly offer an
advantage over embryonic stem cells in treating diseases because they
are less likely to develop into tumors.
It should be noted even though there are no treatments using
umbilical cord stem cells, many people are banking their children's
umbilical cord stem cells in hope that one day scientists will find
ways to use them in treating diseases that may affect the child later
in life.
There are several commercial entities who offer banking of baby teeth
already, even though there are no know treatments using them. Someday
we may be paying the tooth fairy and banking our children's baby
teeth.
William A. Keaty is a board certified practicing pediatric dentist in
Lafayette. Questions can be submitted by e-mail to keatydds@cox-
internet.com or by mail to 350 Doucet Roud, Suite 101, Lafayette, LA
70503. Answers will be addressed in this column as time and space
permit.
http://www.theadver
AID=/20070809/
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StemCells subscribers may also be interested in these sites:
Children's Neurobiological Solutions
http://www.CNSfoundation.org/
Cord Blood Registry
http://www.CordBlood.com/at.cgi?a=150123
The CNS Healing Group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CNS_Healing
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