title: Molecular and engineering approaches to regenerate and repair teeth in mammals.
abstract: Continuous replacement of teeth throughout the lifespan of an individual is possibly basal for most of the vertebrates including fish and reptiles; however, mammals generally have a limited capacity of tooth renewal. The ability to induce cellular differentiation in adults to replace lost or damaged cells in mammals, or to tissue-engineer organs in vitro, has hence become one of the major goals of regenerative medicine. In this article, we will revisit some of the important signals and tissue interactions that regulate mammalian tooth development, and will offer a synopsis of the latest progress in tooth regeneration and repair via molecular and engineering approaches. It is hoped that this article will not only offer an overview of recent technologies in tooth regeneration and repair but will also stimulate more interdisciplinary research in this field to turn the pursuit of tooth regeneration and repair into practical reality.
authors.affiliation: Division in Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Department of Oral Biology, BK21 PLUS Project, Oral Science Research Institute, College of Dentistry, Yonsei Center of Biotechnology, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro Seodaemum-gu, Seoul, 120-752, Korea.
authors.forename: Wing-Fu
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Jong-Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Han-Sung
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Jung
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008322:Mammals; D012038:Regeneration; D023822:Tissue Engineering; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds; D014070:Tooth / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins