PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 1, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- Among the bones of the body, the jaw is unique.
During embryonic development, jawbones arise from different types
of stem cells compared to bones of the leg or arm. Even some bone
disorders have distinctive characteristics when they occur in the
jaw. Now, researchers at Penn Dental Medicine are working to
uncover the molecular reasons for these differences, with
implications that could help in healing following surgery and in
the treatment of defects in the maxillofacial region.
"Stem cells isolated from the maxilla and mandible have much
higher regenerative properties, grow much more rapidly than those
that we have from the hip bone, and they need relatively less
chemical stimulation for them to form new bone," says
Sunday Akintoye, Associate Professor
of Oral Medicine at Penn Dental Medicine, who is studying orofacial
bone mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and their site-specific
characteristics and therapeutic applications."
Having found that the MSCs in the jaw are key to these special
properties, Akintoye's team is working on elucidating the factors
that distinguish these MSCs from those in other bones. This
information could provide clinicians with tools to replace bone
lost to surgery, trauma, and tumors, such as ameloblastoma, which
Akintoye has just begun investigating for possible biological
indicators of recurrence after surgery.
A rare, but rapidly growing tumor, ameloblastoma occurs in the
jaw as a result of ameloblasts—the cells that form tooth enamel—
growing uncontrollably. The tumor often grows painlessly for a long
time in the jaw until eventually, a very large and disfiguring mass
is evident. The mass can severely damage the jawbone, and about 10%
of the tumors recur, even after surgery.
The racial demographics of ameloblastoma patients, as well as
whether there are racial disparities in the progression and
recurrence of the condition, have not been clear. Akintoye has
recently begun to make headway, studying the epidemiology of the
condition with an assessment of the literature. In a preliminary
analysis, he says the data show that ameloblastoma occurs and
recurs more frequently in Black patients than non-Black
patients.
His team would like to eventually apply their knowledge about
oral MSCs to understand ameloblastoma's behavior. "Incorporation of
the jaw stem cells into a graft could help promote rapid healing,"
says Akintoye, "and can help with jaw reconstruction after
surgery."
Media Contact: Beth Adams,
adamsnb@dental.upenn.edu
View original content to download
multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/unique-properties-of-jaw-stem-cells-could-help-repair-damage-302208298.html
SOURCE PENN DENTAL MEDICINE