Stem cells in the multiple cell organisms have remarkable potential to develop into specialised cells with characteristics of a variety of other cells and tissues. They serve as a kind of healing system of the body. Differ from other cells by two features:
- First, they are unspecialised cells able to renew themselves through cell division;
- Second, under certain physiological and experimental conditions, can be induced to become tissue / organ specific cells with special functions.
Among mammals, there are two types of stem cells: embryonic and somatic.
Stem cells - a centre of interest in modern medicine
In the last decade, stem cells are the centre of interest in regenerative medicine and more and more there collection at its very birth is a routine and a great investment of each parent for their child. Sources for collection of stem cells are the umbilical cord blood (at birth) and bone marrow.
In recent times more common are tests of pulp of milk teeth and molars with unfinished root growth, which is a rich source of pluripotent stem cells. This is especially important for those parents who haven't the opportunity to collect and bank the stem cells from umbilical cord blood at the birth of their child and is considered a second chance to be able to collect valuable biological resource of stem cells.
Stem cells from milk teeth have the potential to differentiate into multiple cell types
Scientists have identified mesenchymal type of stem cells in dental pulp. This type of stem cell has the future potential to differentiate into multiple cell types:
cardiac myocytes - to rebuild the damaged heart tissue after a heart attack;
Neural - regenerating nerves and brain tissue, as in stroke;
myocytes - the regeneration of muscles;
osteocytes - to rebuild the bone;
chondrocytes - the cartilage and ligaments;
adipocytes - the fat;
the bones and tissues of the oral cavity.
Further research will show if these type of cells can be used in the treatment of the aforementioned conditions as well as certain diseases:
Diabetes;
Parkinson's disease;
Alzheimer's disease;
Treatment of teeth and tooth related diseases and others.
Milk teeth - simple for collection
More medical research companies devoted to examining this kind of source that could become dominant because of noninvasive collection of cells. On the other hand, for parents it sounds like a great health insurance - banking of stem cells collected from the milk teeth of children 6-13 years of age at the time of their natural replacement, with the possibility of their use if the child develop a disease in the future. Today, in the world there are many such banks for collection, processing and preserving stem cells and keeping them for possible future use in the treatment of various conditions and diseases.
Researches on stem cells are in early stage
But unfortunately research is still at an early stage, so the therapies that would include these stem cells from teeth have not yet been developed and will probably spend many more years to come to the final results. Experts in this field are still skeptical of banking the cells from teeth because they are cells of mesenchymal origin and may not be able to use the larger life-threatening procedures, as already known diseases today are treated with stem cells originating from umbilical cord blood for example. But, still, science, new technologies and investing in health, to indicate whether molars and milk teeth can contribute to the process of regeneration of tissues and organs as well as treatment of various diseases. Hopefully they will succeed!
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