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

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SOURCE PENN DENTAL MEDICINE