Established in 2020 Wednesday, March 27, 2024


The immune system and stem cells join forces to repair your teeth
Researchers from King’s College London have revealed how the immune system interacts with stem cells during tooth repair. Image courtesy: King's College London.



LONDON.- Cavities, also called tooth decay or caries, permanently damage the hard, mineral surface of teeth. Once it reaches the inner soft tissue of the tooth, the pulp, the tooth becomes infected and further issues arise. Stem cells are present in the pulp and are stimulated by damage to differentiate into specialised cells (odontoblasts) that act to replace lost mineral and repair the tooth.

Building on previous research into tooth repair, in a paper published in Scientific Reports, researchers from King’s College London have revealed how macrophages, specialised cells of the immune system, and stem cells interact following tooth damage to promote repair.

The research was carried out in the Centre for Craniofacial & Regenerative Biology at the Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, by researchers Dr Vitor Neves and Dr Val Yianni, both senior members of the Sharpe Research Group. They found that macrophages are required for pulp stem cell activation and appropriate reparative dentine formation.

Moreover, the group showed that by naturally stimulating tooth repair via Wnt/b-catenin signalling stimulation, dentine formation is enhanced due to activation of pulp stem cells and promotion of an anti-inflammatory macrophage response.

These findings demonstrate that by understanding the how the body reacts to damage, it is possible to modulate the host response to improve the dental reparative capacity, potentially increasing the life span of teeth.







Today's News

November 23, 2020

Remains of two victims of 79 AD volcanic eruption unearthed at Pompeii

Climate change devastated dinosaurs not once, but twice

Deep learning helps robots grasp and move objects with ease

Fish carcasses deliver toxic mercury pollution to the deepest ocean trenches

US approves Regeneron antibody treatment given to Trump

Researchers find that a type of RNA monitors the genome to help ensure its integrity

Zebra finches amazing at unmasking the bird behind the song

Kyoto University's seemingly random photonic crystals greatly improve laser scanning

Biofriendly protocells pump up blood vessels

New process narrows the gap between natural and synthetic materials

Energy drinks can raise stillbirth risk and caffeine guidance confuses mums-to-be, new research warns

New project aims to develop a new treatment option for brain cancer

Sugar work: U-M study finds sugar remodels molecular memory in fruit flies

New found ability to change baby brain activity could lead to rehabilitation for injured brains, say researchers

The immune system and stem cells join forces to repair your teeth

Biologists at U of T and University of Illinois shed light on how microbes evolve and affect hosts

NASA, US and European partners launch mission to monitor global ocean

Can animals use iridescent colours to communicate?



 


Editor & Publisher: Jose Villarreal
Art Director: Juan José Sepúlveda Ramírez



Tell a Friend
Dear User, please complete the form below in order to recommend the ResearchNews newsletter to someone you know.
Please complete all fields marked *.
Sending Mail
Sending Successful