UK molecular biologists claim to have pinpointed the gene responsible for tooth regeneration in mice, paving the way for immense breakthroughs in the field of human regenerative medicine.
The team of researchers, led by Dr Bing Hu from the University of Plymouth’s Peninsula Dental School, studied the genes and signaling molecules responsible for the regeneration of teeth in mice and think they may have cracked how to regrow teeth entirely in the “natural way.”
Teeth are comprised of dead enamel combined with living parts like dentin, pulp, and nerve tissue.
Stem cells can be developed into specialized regenerative cell types, including teeth cells, and the team believe they have pinpointed a specific gene, called DLK1, which enhances stem cell activation and tissue regeneration.