Teeth develop as the result of interaction between mesenchymal cells and epithelium where epithelium provides instructive information for initiation. Basing on those initial tissue interactions, the group headed by prof. P. T. Sharpe replaced mesenchymal cells with mesenchyme created as agglomeration of mouse cultivated non-teeth stem cells. Recombination between non-teeth mesenchyme obtained from mesenchymal cells and embryonal epithelium of the oral cavity stimulates odontogenous answer in stem cells. Embryonal stem cells, nervous stem cells and adult cells obtained from the bone marrow — all induced odontogenous gene expression. Moreover, relocation of the embryonal tooth germ into adult jaw resulted in the development of tooth structures. This indicates that the embryonal tooth germ can become fully developed in the adult environment. Relocation of the recombination into adult renal capsules resulted in the development of tooth structures and associated bones. Thus, those results provide considerable progress towards creating of the artificial embryonal tooth germ derived from cultured cells. Such artificial embryonal tooth germs can be used in adults for the replacement of lost teeth by new ones after oral transplantation.
Place of employment — Dental InstituteKing’s College London, England.
Contacts — Guy’s Tower, Guy’s Hospital, London SE1 9RT+44 (207) 188-1806paul.sharpe@kcl.ac.uk .
Publications — The LIM homeodomain transcription factors Lhx6 and Lhx7 are key regulators of mammalian dentition. Myrto Denaxa, Paul T. Sharpe and Vassilis Pachnis. Developmental Biology. 2009. vol. 333, no. 2, pp. 324–336.Dental stem cells for tooth regeneration and repair Andrea Mantesso DDS PhD & Paul Sharpe Expert Opinion on Biological Therapy. 2009vol. 9, no. 9, pp. 1143–1154.Scube1 is expressed during facial development in the mouse Guilheme M. Xavier, Paul T. Sharpe, Martyn T. Cobourne Journal of Experimental Zoology Part B: Molecular and Developmental Evolution. 2009 vol. 312, no. 5, pp. 518–524.
