When little children lose their teeth, they surely grow new ones within several months. Unfortunately, we can’t say the same about adults who lose their teeth. However, this new research conducted by scientists at Kyoto University and the University of Fukui may offer some hope to adults.
A new drug that was developed by Japanese scientists has proved effective in regenerating lost teeth in mice and ferrets. The study suggests that uterine sensitization associated gene-1 or USAG-1, which is an antibody for one gene, regenerates tooth in mice. It suggests that USAG-1 stimulates the growth of teeth in mice with tooth agenesis, which is a congenital condition. More information regarding this study is available on ‘Science Advances‘ and ‘Kyoto University.
There are 32 teeth in a normal adult mouth. However, around 1% of the human population has a greater or lesser number of teeth because of congenital conditions. The causes for having too many teeth were studied by researchers as indications for the regeneration of teeth in adults.
Scientists Plan To Test The Antibodies On Pigs And Dogs
Katsu Takahashi, the study author and senior lecturer from Kyoto University, states that they were aware that suppressing the gene USAG-1 aids tooth growth. However, they were not sure if it would be enough. He stated that as the next step of the study, they are preparing to test the antibodies on animals like pigs and dogs.
This study suggests new therapeutic support for a major clinical problem. For a long time, solutions for loss of teeth in adults were limited to implants and other artificial solutions. Manabu Sugai from the University of Fukui who’s a co-author of the study explained that conventional tissue engineering doesn’t suit tooth regeneration. He states that the results of this research show that cell-free molecular therapy is effective for a wide range of congenital tooth agenesis.
If scientists can get the expected results from the experiments, adults too might be able to grow lost teeth. So, check out the article and share your thoughts with us in the comments.
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