Researchers Uncover New Method of Tooth Repair

An international team of researchers has found a new population of mesenchymal stromal cells in a continuously growing mouse incisor model that have shown how these cells contribute to the formation of dentin.

The work showed that when these stem cells are activated, they send signals back to the mother cells of the tissue to control the number of cells produced, through Dlk1. Researchers also demonstrated that Dlk1 can enhance stem cell activation and tissue regeneration in a wound healing model. The study, “ Transit Amplifying Cells Coordinate Mouse Incisor Mesenchymal Stem Cell Activation,” is available in Nature Communications.