Stem Cells in Dentistry

The regenerative abilities of certain animals have always been a fascination for man. Regeneration is a remarkable physiological process in which remaining tissues organize to reform a missing body part but mammals appear to have lost this ability perhaps for more proficient wound healing ability. The most striking example of whole organ regeneration in mammals is that of liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy in humans. Most tissue repair events in mammals are dedifferentiation independent events resulting from the activation of pre-existing stem cells or progenitor cells.