Regenerative Medicine

It sure would be nice if teeth could just repair themselves. Thankfully that’s not as far-fetched as it sounds – researchers have found a new population of stem cells in mice that are in charge of repairing tooth tissue and could be recruited to help us patch up cavities.

Our bodies aren't great at regeneration. Other creatures have mastered this skill though, and now scientists at the University of California Davis (UC Davis) and Harvard have sequenced the RNA transcripts for the immortal hydra and figured out how it manages to do just that.

In recent years scientists have been able to correct genetic diseases by removing stem cells, editing their genomes and implanting them back into patients, but that adds complications. Now new research led by Harvard scientists has successfully edited the genes of stem cells while still in the body.

This installment of our Revolutions series brings you up to date with the ground-breaking new discoveries made around the regenerative possibilities of induced pluripotent stem cells, which can theoretically be coaxed into any kind of cell in the human body.

Scientists in Switzerland have developed a new form of hydrogel they say has unparalleled adhesive properties, a characteristic that could prove particularly useful in trying to repair cartilage and meniscus. ​

​After a heart attack, the heart's damaged muscle tissue is replaced by non-beating scar tissue. Unfortunately, this leaves the muscle permanently weakened. There could be new hope, however, as scientists have taken strides toward understanding how a fish is able to heal its own heart.

A new breakthrough out of Tufts University has resulted in partial limb regeneration in adult frogs that usually lack such capabilities, raising hopes the research could ultimately benefit human amputees.

When a root canal is performed, the infected dental pulp inside a tooth is replaced with tiny rubber rods – unfortunately this leaves the tooth dead, and thus likely to become infected again. A new procedure, however, may be able to keep such teeth alive and strong.

A team of researchers has uncovered a new approach to grow synthetic mineralized materials. This exciting breakthrough points to a future of regenerative medicine where doctors could mimic the regrowth of hard tissues including dental enamel and bone.

​Stem cells have incredible potential for regenerative medicine, but getting hold of them can be tricky. Amniotic fluid may be a plentiful source, and now scientists in Sweden have developed a device to collect the fluid during delivery of a baby by caesarean section, to safely harvest stem cells.

Technologies that reprogram one type of cell to perform the role of another hold a huge amount of potential, and scientists are now reporting a promising advance in the area, in the form of patch that they say can use an electric pulse to turn skin cells into the building blocks of any organ.

Eye transplants are yet to become a reality as scientists have not figured out how to reconnect them to the brain. However, a new study, in which blind tadpoles were able to use transplanted eyes on their tails to see, suggests there might be another way to restore sight in humans.