New teeth grown from urine - study

[third eye]

BBC News - New teeth grown from urine - study

Scientists have grown rudimentary teeth out of the most unlikely of sources, human urine.

The results, published in Cell Regeneration Journal, showed that urine could be used as a source of stem cells that in turn could be grown into tiny tooth-like structures.

The team from China hopes the technique could be developed into a way of replacing lost teeth.

Other stem cell researchers caution that that goal faces many challenges.

Teams of researchers around the world are looking for ways of growing new teeth to replace those lost with age and poor dental hygiene.

Stem cells - the master cells which can grow into any type of tissue - are a popular area of research.

The group at the Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health used urine as the starting point.

Cells which are normally passed from the body, such as those from the lining of the body's waterworks, are harvested in the laboratory. These collected cells are then coaxed into becoming stem cells.

A mix of these cells and other material from a mouse was implanted into the animals.
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The researchers said that after three weeks the bundle of cells started to resemble a tooth: "The tooth-like structure contained dental pulp, dentin, enamel space and enamel organ."

However, the "teeth" were not as hard as natural teeth.

This piece of research is not immediately going to lead to new options for the dentist, but the researchers say it could lead to further studies towards "the final dream of total regeneration of human teeth for clinical therapy".

'Worst source'

Prof Chris Mason, a stem cell scientist at University College London, said urine was a poor starting point.

"It is probably one of the worst sources, there are very few cells in the first place and the efficiency of turning them into stem cells is very low.

"You just wouldn't do it in this way."

He also warned that the risk of contamination, such as through bacteria, was much higher than with other sources of cells.

Prof Mason added: "The big challenge here is the teeth have got a pulp with nerve and blood vessels which have to make sure they integrate to get permanent teeth."

 

[Xracer]

Hmmmmmmmm Impressive

 

[shuttler]

it was also reported here in posts 158 & 159

http://www.defence.pk/forums/china-...res-spend-billions-science-technology-11.html

Worst source'

Prof Chris Mason, a stem cell scientist at University College London, said urine was a poor starting point.

"It is probably one of the worst sources, there are very few cells in the first place and the efficiency of turning them into stem cells is very low.

You just wouldn't do it in this way."""

He also warned that the risk of contamination, such as through bacteria, was much higher than with other sources of cells.

Prof Mason added: "The big challenge here is the teeth have got a pulp with nerve and blood vessels which have to make sure they integrate to get permanent teeth."

Cant believe a prof from UCL has made this stupid comment

1. the base culture was from urine which he has already pointed out the "low efficiency". If the scientists can extract stem cells from a source of "low efficiency", that only shows the brilliance of the Chinese researchers. It'll be a piece of cake for them to extract stem cells from other sources
of "high efficiency"　

2. the experiment was just at the initial stages of development

3. the experiment which has already borne fruits in 3 weeks's time is amazing:

The researchers said that after three weeks the bundle of cells started to resemble a tooth: "The tooth-like structure contained dental pulp, dentin, enamel space and enamel organ."

The growth of nerve and blood vessels is the next step but even without those, the tooth may be similar to a piece of false tooth that grows from your mouth which is better than foreign objects made from metal/ acrylic /resinl

So the next challenges for the study are hardness, antiseptic, the inclusion of blood vessels and nerves in the tooth

 

[Audio]

1. the base culture was from urine which he has already pointed out the "low efficiency". If the scientists can extract stem cells from a source of "low efficiency", that only shows the brilliance of the Chinese researchers. It'll be a piece of cake for them to extract stem cells from other sources
of "high efficiency"　

I read this as stem cells from urine "convert" to teeth with poor efficiency, not that tere's a problem with extraction.

Anyhow, i've read a few articles on this in the last few days,

there's heaps of wrong things in this, using from urine increases infection probability, geneticists still don't fully understand what is responsible for tooth's size and shape, then there are lesser ones, like only 30% growing success rate and the tooth not being as hard as a normal one, though that could improve with further experimentation.

 

[shuttler]

I read this as stem cells from urine "convert" to teeth with poor efficiency, not that tere's a problem with extraction.

Anyhow, i've read a few articles on this in the last few days,

there's heaps of wrong things in this, using from urine increases infection probability, geneticists still don't fully understand what is responsible for tooth's size and shape, then there are lesser ones, like only 30% growing success rate and the tooth not being as hard as a normal one, though that could improve with further experimentation.

yeah all the points have been stated in the experimental report already and these are exactly the challenging areas where the researchers have to tackle

as I said if the scientists can grow teeth out of 'low efficiency" urine then the chances of growing them from other "high efficiency" sources are greater and easier and also less prone to contamination

 

[Audio]

yeah all the points have been stated in the experimental report already and these are exactly the challenging areas where the researchers have to tackle

as I said if the scientists can grow teeth out of 'low efficiency" urine then the chances of growing them from other "high efficiency" sources are greater and easier and also less prone to contamination

Well, best of luck, dental mafia in the west has exorbitant prices.