Teeth Cells Turning into Brain Cells
Lydia Shields
Summary of Article
At the University of Adelaide, there has been research done to show that stem cells taken from teeth can grow to resemble brain cells. Although these cells do not develop into fully-fledged neutrons, researchers believe that they could possibly in a matter of time in the right conditions.
Dr. Kylie Ellis, Commercial Development Manager with the University's commercial arm believes that, "Stem cells from teeth...could potentially assist with treatments of brain disorders, such as stroke."
Link to Article:
http://www.biologynews.net/archives/2014/04/30/stem_cells_from_teeth_can_make_brainlike_cells.html
More information:
Results of Dr. Kylie Ellis' work: http://stemcellres.com/content/5/1/30
NOS Elements:
1) The Scientific Process - This was used by Dr. Kylie Ellis and her team to gain new knowledge through research.
2) Observation - This was used on the teeth cells to see how they resembled brain cells.
3) Levels of Organization - Dr. Kylie Ellis and her team were researching cells, the 3rd smallest element on the levels of organization.
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Great article. It's fascinating stem cells are able to grow and adapt to the conditions to become just like brain cells. I found his work with dental pulp stem cells opens up the potential for modelling many more common brain disorders in the laboratory, which could help in developing new treatments and techniques for patients.
ReplyDeleteThis discovery is so important for people with brain disorders, such as strokes. But, teeth cells will not automatically transform into brain cells, they have to be exposed to the right environment. That is what Dr. Kylie Ellis has been testing in her lab at the University of Adelaide's Center for Stem Cell Research. The cells they developed where not identical to neurons, but they shared similar properties. This research will lead to more knowledge on brain cells, which could help develop treatments for more common brain disorders as well.
ReplyDeleteTo find out more information on Dr. Ellis and her research, you can go to this link: http://www.adelaide.edu.au/news/news70203.html
I thought this was a really interesting article so I decided to do a little more research on it. Dr. Kylie Ellis from the University of Adelaide's Center for Stem Cell Research stated that the main drug for strokes is dispensed within a couple hours of the stroke, but unfortunately, many people don't go in to the medical facility as soon as they should. She believes that under the right conditions they will be able to turn teeth cells into brain cells in time. This new information means that it will be possible to treat strokes months, or even years after they happen.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/276239.php
This is a very intriguing article. I think that if they were able to get this to work and they could treat strokes and other brain disorders and injuries by using it, it would be a great discovery in the medicine field. This could help a lot of people who have already had strokes that didn't get proper treatment. About how long do they think it will be before they can use this therapy?
ReplyDelete