MESENCHYMAL STEM CELLS FROM TEETH ARE OPENING UP DIABETES TREATMENT POSSIBILITIES

Significant research is underway using mesenchymal stem cells to help treat diabetes, including cells sourced from bone marrow, cord blood, and the dental pulp in teeth.

A recent study published in the Journal of Dental Research showed that stem cells from teeth removed for orthodontic reasons were coaxed into cells that can produce insulin in a glucose responsive manner – early research which means mesenchymal stem cells from teeth might one day play a role in treating Type 1 diabetes.

Some key takeaways from this breakthrough research:

• The study used stem cells from children's baby teeth as starting materials.
• After 10 days in special culture conditions, these sources of cells generated islet-like cell aggregates that produced insulin in a glucose-dependent manner, a first step towards a potential treatment for type 1 diabetes.
• This is the first time that stem cells from teeth have demonstrated generation of islet-like cell aggregates that produce insulin.
• According to the researchers, this finding might enable "cell replacement for type 1 diabetes by autologous transplantation of islet-like cell aggregates differentiated from a patient's own teeth." In simpler terms, this means a patient's own stem cells might be able to be used to create pancreatic islet cells that produce insulin.

References: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21335539

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