Scientists Grow Human Tooth using Stem Cells taken from Urine

Scientists grow human tooth using stem cells taken from urine

Scientists in China say they have successfully grown a human tooth using stem cells taken from urine. Researchers say the technique could one day be used as a way to replace teeth lost through aging and poor dental hygiene, with the added bonus that urine is deemed a less controversial source of stem cells than human embryos.

The team at the Guangzhou Institute of Biomedicine and Health extracted cells contained in the urine which would normally be passed from the body, such as those from the lining of the body's waterworks, and managed to coax them into becoming stem cells.

They then used these to implant the teeth-like structures in mice, and said the resulting bundle of cells eventually contained “dental pulp, dentin, enamel space and enamel organ,” researchers said.

Wow!! Talk about having a 'potty mouth'!!

Seriously tho, using urine for stem cells?

reply to post by occrest
You have to wonder about the "scientific community". They sure are speeding up the pace with technology, though. Got to keep those priorities in order.

reply to post by occrest


Just wait until they can grow and replace Brain Cells with Fecal Matter.

That will give a whole new meaning to " S[SNIP]T For Brains.

Originally posted by ShadellacZumbrum
reply to post by occrest

 

Just wait until they can grow and replace Brain Cells with Fecal Matter.

That will give a whole new meaning to " S[SNIP]T For Brains.

I just spit up my coffee!!!!!!

Thanks for the laugh!!

Using them as replacements is dumb .
Not only would you need to have your face opened up to put them in your gums , the nerves wouldn't magically fuse and operate as normal.

They need to take what they have found - break it a little - and make it fix its self .

Repairing the existing teeth should be their goal .

Someone said coffee!!

*sip*

Cool! Guess they don't need dead babies any more!
That would be the cooler point of this news.

If they can grow teeth this way, then they should be able to do a lot of other things with urine and stem cells.
A cheap less controversial way of stem cell research, I like it!

reply to post by WonderBoi


The article also acknowledges the techniques possible limitations with the following:

He said: “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 said the risk of contamination was much higher than with other sources of cells, and that there was a long way to go before science overcame “the big challenge” of getting nerve and blood vessels to integrate in newly-formed permanent teeth.

I agree with the position that it is one thing to grow a replacement tooth, but how exactly will it infuse itself with the nerves and blood vessels.

Also i think the point raised about the quality of the stem cells to be valid as well. Then again teeth are not exactly a heart.

I am all for stem cell research, its unfortunate that current stigmas and taboo's are forcing them to go with inefficient and poor quality methods.

As somone with poor teeth thanks to some crappy genetics, if and when they start getting holey and fall out its nice to know there may be an alternative to straight up, pop em in' grandpa style dentures.

I dont care if i have to start peeing in a bucket right now to collect enough stem cells! ha!

"piss your self to better dental care!"

Originally posted by Biigs
As somone with poor teeth thanks to some crappy genetics, if and when they start getting holey and fall out its nice to know there may be an alternative to straight up, pop em in' grandpa style dentures.

I dont care if i have to start peeing in a bucket right now to collect enough stem cells! ha!

"piss your self to better dental care!"

edit on 31-7-2013 by Biigs because: (no reason given)

bahaha your "medicine" for this procedure would be beer to increase a larger source of cells.

But..As i remarked in my above post, the technique is lacking in some details with respect to how the tooth will root. You will have a mouth full of piss cultured teeth that fall out the next time you bite into something.

Think about it like this, if real science were being used, a lot of people would need a new occupation. What good is finding a cure for something, when more money can be made without one? Those are the times we live in.

Originally posted by AthiestJesus
Using them as replacements is dumb .
Not only would you need to have your face opened up to put them in your gums , the nerves wouldn't magically fuse and operate as normal.

They need to take what they have found - break it a little - and make it fix its self .

Repairing the existing teeth should be their goal .

THis is the goal, from what I recollect.

There are stories out there about the advances in that particular vein of research.

Imagine the day when you will be able to have an injection in the tooth that causes it to regenerate......

Regenerative therapy....that would be an interesting discipline that Stem Cell Research can open up for us.

Originally posted by bigfatfurrytexan

Originally posted by AthiestJesus
Using them as replacements is dumb .
Not only would you need to have your face opened up to put them in your gums , the nerves wouldn't magically fuse and operate as normal.

They need to take what they have found - break it a little - and make it fix its self .

Repairing the existing teeth should be their goal .

THis is the goal, from what I recollect.

There are stories out there about the advances in that particular vein of research.

Imagine the day when you will be able to have an injection in the tooth that causes it to regenerate......

Regenerative therapy....that would be an interesting discipline that Stem Cell Research can open up for us.

Indeed , it could be a "foot in the door" , getting us closer to regenerating limbs , or organs , or pretty much anything we need . It would work wonders for amputees , and maybe even the disabled .

Originally posted by WonderBoi
Think about it like this, if real science were being used, a lot of people would need a new occupation. What good is finding a cure for something, when more money can be made without one? Those are the times we live in.

Those times are changing , look around , people are tired of slaving away and seeing no progress being made because currency is controlling their minds .

I`ll be honest here , I think in a perfect world we wouldn`t use currency .... and we`d be more interested in science like this than how many wine gums it takes to choke a kestrel. Imagine a world full of humans who are interested and committed to scientific progress instead of partying hard and looking pretty ..... it would be like something out of a sci-fi movie - but better.