Here are the SMALL WONDERS of our body !!!

Stem cells are all over the news! And mostly for good reasons!

Researchers feel that stem cells could have the potential answer for treating many diseases, such as Diabetes, Parkinson’s, that have challenged mankind until now!

And many of us have a loved one with a serious disease or fear for a day in the future when a loved one might face a life and death battle.

Stem cell research is directed towards curing or preventing many fatal conditions and diseases.

Here's a brief explanation about stem cells - what they are, how they could be used to treat disease and injury and why they are carrying so much hope and promise.

• A cell is the basic unit of the human body.
• Cells grow and divide to form various organs of the body (such as heart, brain, liver, bone).
• Stem cells are unspecialized cells that have two defining properties: the ability to differentiate into other cells and the ability to self-regenerate.
• The ability to differentiate is the potential to develop into other cell types.
• Self-regeneration is the ability of stem cells to divide and produce more stem cells.

Types of Stem Cells

There are mainly two types of stem cells found in humans:

1. Embryonic Stem Cells

Embryonic stem cells are Pluripotent and have the ability to create all cell types in our bodies while adult stem cells are multipotent which can form more limited types of cells. Embryonic stem cells are usually collected and cultured from embryonic cells, often resulting in the embryo's destruction.

2. Adult Stem Cells

Adult stem cells, obtained from humans, can be derived from different parts of the body and accordingly have different properties. They exist in several different tissues including umbilical cord blood, bone marrow, blood and brain. Some studies have suggested that adult stem cells are very versatile and can develop into many different cell types.

Adult stem cells can be found as Hematopoietic and mesenchymal stem cells.

(i) Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs):

These are adult stem cells found mainly in the bone marrow. Tthey provide the blood cells required for daily blood turnover and for fighting infections.

Hematopoietic stem cells have been studied by scientists for many years, and they were the first stem cells to be used successfully in therapies. Hematopoietic stem cells from the bone marrow and umbilical cord blood have been used for decades to treat blood cancers (e.g. leukemia) and other blood disorders.

(ii) Mesenchymal stem cells or marrow stromal cells (MSCs):

These stem cells, also found in the bone marrow, can form a variety of cells of solid tissue in the laboratory, including fat cells, cartilage, bone, tendon and ligaments, muscles cells, skin cells and even nerve cells.

Unlike most other human adult stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells can be obtained in quantities appropriate for clinical applications, making them good candidates for use in tissue repair.

Role of Stem Cells

Stem cells, by virtue of their properties mentioned above, become key players in the genesis and maintenance of our bodies.

In Normal Human Body

• Normal development of the organs and connective tissues in babies.
• Normal day-to-day repair of tissues. .

In Diseased Human Body

• Repair of different tissues after injury.
• Replacement of specific organs in particular diseases.

Sources of Stem Cells

While stem cells can be found in many organs in human beings, the most commonly known sources have been: bone marrow and umbilical cord (which in all likelihood was discarded when your baby is born). Banking the umbilical cord has is a common phenomenon in today’s times.
Most people haven't heard that stem cells are also present in the tooth (dental pulp). Specifically, they are found in:

Baby teeth or milk teeth (especially the teeth in the front): The dental pulp in the deciduous teeth of children contains stem cells. These teeth start falling off normally from the age of five until the age of twelve.

Wisdom tooth (Third molar teeth): The dental pulp in the adult permanent teeth, such as wisdom teeth, also contains stem cells. The wisdom teeth usually don’t participate in the chewing function. Also, due to their abnormal position, it’s difficult to maintain oral hygiene in their area, thus becoming more prone to decay. These teeth are very often extracted for orthodontic reasons.

(Image source: allthingsstemcell.com)

Dental pulp is the soft living tissue inside a tooth. This dental pulp contains stem cells, known as, you guessed it, Dental Pulp Stem Cells. And the best Dental Pulp Stem Cells are in baby teeth or milk teeth (especially the teeth in the front) The stem cells from the milk teeth are 'mesenchymal' type of cells i.e. cells that have the ability to generate variety of cell types like chondrocytes, osteoblasts and adipocytes. Chondrocytes are cells that have the ability to generate cartilage – which would have an important role in the treatment of arthritis and joint injuries. Osteoblasts are cells that have the ability to generate bone. Adipocytes are cells that have the ability to repair damaged cardiac tissue following a heart attack. Thus the dental stem cells can generate hard structures of the body such as bone, new dental tissue, cartilage and muscle. New researches also suggest that they may be able to generate nerves. This is being studied further for use in dentistry and medicine. With these properties of dental stem cells, just imagine the sheer confidence with which your child can face a whole host of life-threatening situations later in life... because they already have the means to correct and regenerate so many parts of their own bodies! They’ll thank you for all their life.

Dentition

Following table detail when milk teeth and permanent teeth start appearing.

Baby Teeth (Primary)

Permanent Teeth

Following are some abstracts of recent advances in medical research on dental pulp stem cells

Braz Dent J. 2011;22(2):91-8.

Mesenchymal stem cells in the dental tissues: perspectives for tissue regeneration.

Estrela C, Alencar AH, Kitten GT, Vencio EF, Gava E. Dental School, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil.

In recent years, stem cell research has grown exponentially owing to the recognition that stem cell-based therapies have the potential to improve the life of patients with conditions that range from Alzheimer's disease to cardiac ischemia and regenerative medicine, like bone or tooth loss. Based on their ability to rescue and/or repair injured tissue and partially restore organ function, multiple types of stem/progenitor cells have been speculated. Growing evidence demonstrates that stem cells are primarily found in niches and that certain tissues contain more stem cells than others. Among these tissues, the dental tissues are considered a rich source of mesenchymal stem cellsthat are suitable for tissue engineering applications. It is known that these stem cells have the potential to differentiate into several cell types, including odontoblasts, neural progenitors, osteoblasts, chondrocytes, and adipocytes. In dentistry, stem cell biology and tissue engineering are of great interest since may provide an innovative for generation of clinical material and/or tissue regeneration. Mesenchymal stem cells were demonstrated in dental tissues, including dental pulp, periodontal ligament, dentalpapilla, and dental follicle. These stem cells can be isolated and grown under defined tissue culture conditions, and are potential cells for use in tissue engineering, including, dental tissue, nerves and bone regeneration. More recently, another source of stem cell has been successfully generated from human somatic cells into a pluripotent stage, the induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells), allowing creation of patient- and disease-specific stem cells. Collectively, the multipotency, high proliferation rates, and accessibility make the dental stem cell an attractive source of mesenchymal stem cells for tissue regeneration. This review describes new findings in the field ofdental stem cell research and on their potential use in the tissue regeneration.

Stem cells, 2009 Sep; 27(9):2229-37

Implanted adult human dental pulp stem cells induce endogenous axon guidance

Arthur A, Shi S,Zannettino AC, Fujii N, Gronthos s, Koblar SA,
Mesenchymal Stem Cell Group, CSCR University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South

The human central nervous system has a limited capacity for regeneration. Stem cell-based therapies may overcome this through cellular mechanisms of neural replacement and/or through molecular mechanisms, whereby secreted factors induce change in the host tissue. To investigate these mechanisms, we used a readily accessible human cell population, dental pulp progenitor/stem cells (DPSCs) that can differentiate into functionally active neurons given the appropriate environmental cues. We hypothesized that implanted DPSCs secrete factors that coordinate axon guidance within a receptive host nervous system. An avian embryonic model system was adapted to investigate axon guidance in vivo after transplantation of adult human DPSCs. Chemoattraction of avian trigeminal ganglion axons toward implanted DPSCs was mediated via the chemokine, CXCL12, also known as stromal cell-derived factor-1, and its receptor, CXCR4. These findings provide the first direct evidence that DPSCs may induce neuroplasticity within a receptive host nervous system

J Clin Pediatr Dent. 2009 Summer;33(4):289-94

Banking stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED) saving for the future

Arora V, Arora P, Munshi AK. Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, K.D. Dental College and Hospital, Mathura, India.
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Tooth derived cells are readily accessible and provide an easy and minimally invasive way to obtain and store stem cells for future use. Banking one’s own tooth-derived stem cells are a reasonable and simple alternative to harvesting stem cells from other tissues. Obtaining stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED) is simple and convenient, with little or no trauma. Every child loses primary teeth, which creates the perfect opportunity to recover and store this convenient source of stem cells--should they be needed to treat future injuries or ailments and presents a far better alternative to simply discarding the teeth or storing them as mementos from the past. Furthermore, using ones own stem cells poses few, if any, risks for developing immune reactions or rejection following transplantation and also eliminates the potential of contracting disease from donor cells.

Stem cells can also be recovered from developing wisdom teeth and permanent teeth. Individuals have different opportunities at different stages of their life to bank these valuable cells. It is best to recover stem cells when a child is young and healthy and the cells are strong and proliferative.

The purpose of this review is to discuss the present scenario as well as the technical details of tooth banking as related to SHED cells.

J Contemp Dent Pract. 2009 Jul 1;10(4):90-6

Stem cells: therapeutic potential in dentistry.

Arora V, Arora P, Munshi AK. Nedel F, André Dde A, de Oliveira IO, Cordeiro MM, Casagrande L, Tarquinio SB, Nor JE, Demarco FF. School of Dentistry, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brazil.
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AIM: The aim of this paper is to present a review and discussion of the current status of stem cell research with regard to tooth generation.

BACKGROUND: Stem cells have been isolated from the pulp tissue of both deciduous and permanent teeth as well as from the periodontal ligament. Dental pulp stem cells demonstrate the capacity to form a dentin pulp-like complex in immunocompromised mice. A tooth-like structure was successfully formed, using a heterogeneous mixture of dental enamel epithelium, pulp mesenchymal cells, and scaffolds.

CONCLUSION: The scientific community understands the need for more investigations to completely understand the conditions that would best favor the creation of a tooth substitute. Recent gains in the understanding of the molecular regulation of tooth morphogenesis, stem cell biology, and biotechnology offers the opportunity to realize this goal.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: These findings, combined with the recent progress in stem cell research and tissue engineering, might allow the development of alternatives for current materials and therapies used to treat tooth tissue loss (e.g., enamel, dentin, pulp), reconstruct dentoalveolar and craniofacial bone defects, and eventually replace an entire tooth.

Nan Fang Yi Ke Da Xue Xue Bao. 2009 Mar;29(3):479-82

Isolation and identification of stem cells derived from human exfoliated deciduous teeth.

Xu N, Chen K, Shen YY. Department of Stomatology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

OBJECTIVE: To isolate and identify stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED).

METHODS: Human pulp tissue were dissected and digested to obtain the single cell suspension. The cell morphology was observed and the clonality of the obtained cells was assessed. The phenotype of the cells was detected by immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry (FCM), and the cell cycle was analyzed. The in vitro differentiation of the cells into adipose tissue and formation of mineralization nodules were evaluated.

RESULTS: Clonogenic assay showed the formation of 16-18 clones in every 10(3) plated cells derived from human exfoliated deciduous teeth. These cells were found to express the markers of mesenchymal stem cells with a multipotent differentiation potential.

CONCLUSION: The cells isolated from human dental pulp are clonogenic and have multipotent differentiation potential, suggesting their identity of SHED.

Stem Cells. 2008 Jul;26(7):1787-95. Epub 2008 May 22.

Adult human dental pulp stem cells differentiate toward functionally active neurons under appropriate environmental cues.

Arthur A, Rychkov G, Shi S, Koblar SA, Gronthos S. The Australian Research Council, Centre for the Molecular Genetics of Development, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia.

Human adult dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) reside within the perivascular niche of dental pulp and are thought to originate from migrating cranial neural crest (CNC) cells. During embryonic development, CNC cells differentiate into a wide variety of cell types, including neurons of the peripheral nervous system. Previously, we have demonstrated that DPSCs derived from adult human third molar teeth differentiate into cell types reminiscent of CNC embryonic ontology.

We hypothesized that DPSCs exposed to the appropriate environmental cues would differentiate into functionally active neurons. The data demonstrated that ex vivo-expanded human adult DPSCs responded to neuronal inductive conditions both in vitro and in vivo. Human adult DPSCs, but not human foreskin fibroblasts (HFFs), acquired a neuronal morphology, and expressed neuronal-specific markers at both the gene and protein levels. Culture-expanded DPSCs also exhibited the capacity to produce a sodium current consistent with functional neuronal cells when exposed to neuronal inductive media.

Furthermore, the response of human DPSCs and HFFs to endogenous neuronal environmental cues was determined in vivo using an avian xenotransplantation assay. DPSCs expressed neuronal markers and acquired a neuronal morphology following transplantation into the mesencephalon of embryonic day-2 chicken embryo, whereas HFFs maintained a thin spindle fibroblastic morphology. We propose that adult human DPSCs provide a readily accessible source of exogenous stem/precursor cells that have the potential for use in cell-therapeutic paradigms to treat neurological disease.

J Endod. 2008 Jun;34(6):645-51.

The hidden treasure in apical papilla: the potential role in pulp/dentin regeneration and bioroot engineering.

Huang GT, Sonoyama W, Liu Y, Liu H, Wang S, Shi S. University of Maryland, College of Dental Surgery, Dental School, Department of Endodontics, Prosthodontics and Operative Dentistry, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, USA. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Some clinical case reports have shown that immature permanent teeth with periradicular periodontitis or abscess can undergo apexogenesis after conservative endodontic treatment.

A call for a paradigm shift and new protocol for the clinical management of these cases has been brought to attention.

Concomitantly, a new population of mesenchymal stem cells residing in the apical papilla of permanent immature teeth recently has been discovered and was termed stem cells from the apical papilla (SCAP). These stem cells appear to be the source of odontoblasts that are responsible for the formation of root dentin.

Conservation of these stem cells when treating immature teeth may allow continuous formation of the root to completion.

This article reviews current findings on the isolation and characterization of these stem cells. The potential role of these stem cells in the following respects will be discussed: (1) their contribution in continued root maturation in endodontically treated immature teeth with periradicular periodontitis or abscess and (2) their potential utilization for pulp/dentin regeneration and bioroot engineering.

Dental Stem Cells can Differentiate into...		This has Potential Benefit in..
Cardiac cells (heart cells)		Repair damage caused by Myocardial Infarction (Heart Attack)
Neurones (nerve cells)		Repair due to stroke or other degenerative diseases
Myocytes (muscle cells)		Repair loss due to crush-injuries or other degenerative diseases
Osteocytes (bone cells)		Repair fractures and other joint/bone diseases
Adipocytes (fat cells)		Repair skin loss
Chondrocytes (cartilage cells)		Repair of cartilage after injuries or other degenerative diseases such as Osteoarthritis
Dermal tissue (skin cells)		Assistance in Plastic Surgery applications

• Mesenchymal stem cells help repair hearts damaged by heart attack -- in part by becoming heart cells themselves.
• Autologous Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy Delays the Progression of Neurological Deficits in Patients With Multiple System Atrophy -May 2008
• Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation Accelerates Hearing Recovery through the Repair of Injured Cochlear Fibrocytes
• Mesenchymal stem cells have shown to have a Therapeutic potential of in prostate cancer bone metastasis –
  Department of Pathology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabam
• Clinical applications of human Mesenchymal Stem Cells are evolving rapidly with the aim to improve hematopoietic engraftment, expanding HSC, preventing graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), correcting inborn metabolic errors and delivering a variety of therapeutic genes into the cells.

Applications of mesenchymal stem cells in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine

Mesenchymal stem cells have been used to regenerate marrow microenvironment after myeloablative therapy.

The use of natural and synthetic biomaterials as carriers for mesenchymal stem cells delivery has shown increasing promise for orthopedic therapeutic applications, especially bone formation. Mesenchymal stem cells are ideal for treating arthritis and connective tissue ailments. When introduced into the infarcted heart, mesenchymal stem cells prevent deleterious remodeling and improve recovery. Number of reports have also indicated that these cells possess the capacity to trans-differentiate into epithelial cells and lineages derived from the neuro-ectoderm, and in addition, mesenchymal stem cells can migrate to the sites of injury, inflammation and to tumors. These properties of mesenchymal stem cells make them promising candidates for use in regenerative medicine and may also serve as efficient delivery vehicles in site-specific therapy.

Future Research on Mesenchymal Stem Cells

According to American Diabetes Association, mesenchymal stem cells can be the key to healing diabetic foot ulcers: Diabetic foot ulcers are the primary cause of hospital admissions for diabetics. Foot ulcers that heal improperly are at risk for infection, which can lead to amputation

You have probably heard of 'stem cell harvesting'.

It’s the technical term used to explain collection of stem cells. Harvesting of pluripotent cells from embryos must await the resolution of a whole host of ethical issues, so they are out of the picture at this point in time.

However you can benefit the most from adult multipotent stem cells. And here's the good news: THE SCIENCE OF HARVESTING THEM IS VERY ADVANCED.

There is nothing to lose, and everything to gain!

We, at Stemade, with the help of our unique and state-of-the-art patented technology, make the extraction of stem cells, from the soft dental pulp of a tooth, an extremely proficient process. Our approved dentists in Stemade Smile Clinics would collect the appropriate milk tooth, which would then be transported to our laboratory in Chennai for extraction and preservation of the stem cells.

By banking your dental pulp stem cells, you can face a whole host of life-threatening situations later in life fearlessly…

Chronology of advances in Dental stem cells –

2000

First introduced by Stan Gronthos and his coworkers.

2003

NIH announces discovery of DPSC by Dr. Songtao Shi.

2007

1st animal study with DPSC for bone regeneration.

2008

1st animal study with DPSC for heart therapies.

2008

1st animal study with DPSC for regenerating brain tissue.

2008

1st advanced animal study announced with DPSC for bone grafting.

2009

1st Clinical study conducted by Professor Gianpaolo Papaccio, Ph.D., and colleagues at the second university of Neples shows dental stem cells regrow bone.

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