Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine have isolated human dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) from healthy wisdom teeth.<\/p>\n
These stem cells offer \u201ca new source of corneal transplant tissue made from the patient\u2019s own cells,” according to a press release from the university.<\/p>\n
Stem cell research is an exciting and slowly progressing research field in biology.\u00a0A stem cell is a unique cell that has the potential to develop into many different cell types. A pluripotent stem cell can become every type of cell in the body. A multipotent stem cells can become only some types of cells. When a stem cell divides, each new cell is capable of remaining a stem cell or becoming another type of cell with a more specialized function. Such specialized cells include muscle cells, red blood cells, or brain cells (neurons). The most work has been done on embryonic stem cells, but these findings suggest the potential of dental stem cells.<\/p>\n
According to the Pittsburgh study, these stem cells can be encouraged to differentiate into cells of the eye\u2019s cornea. This technique could possibly be used to repair corneal scarring due to injury or injection. Corneal blindness is normally treated with donor cornea transplants. Using a patient\u2019s own cells for treatment can help avoid the problems of donor shortages or rejection of donor tissue.<\/p>\n
The specific research study that led to these findings involved the application of these DPSCs into mice. The research team at Pitt, including the study’s lead author, Fatima Syed-Picard, “injected engineered keratocytes [corneal stromal cells differentiated from dental stem cells] into the corneas of healthy mice, where they integrated without signs of rejection,” according to the press release. The team’s next goal is to use this animal model to study\u00a0the potential of this\u00a0technique to correct corneal scarring.<\/p>\n
\u201cOther research has shown that dental pulp stem cells can be used to make neural, bone and other cells,” said Syed-Picard, demonstrating the vast\u00a0potential of stem cells in regenerative medicine. Much work will have\u00a0to be done in both laboratories and clinics to understand\u00a0how effectively these cells can be used for therapy. Nonetheless, the discovery of\u00a0dental stem cells reveals a promising therapeutic option.<\/p>\n
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