In a major research effort in the country, Stempeutics, a Manipal Group stem cell company, is looking at dental pulp of children's milk teeth as a source for stem cells. These teeth shed between the ages of 7 and 12 years and are replaced by permanent teeth.

The dental pulp is a part in the centre of a tooth made of living soft tissue from which the stem cells are retrieved. These stem cells have shown its potential to regenerate. Stempeutics is also looking at the opportunity of a dental bank to store the milk teeth for future treatment of that child or even their other children. Advanced studies are on to demonstrate the survival and potency of these stem cells when frozen or thawed. So far studies have shown that there is no rejection when infused. It can be used for allogeneic & autologous stem cell therapies.

The dental pulp has major advantages besides its easy availability and affordability. There are multitude beneficial factors because these are multi potent Mesenchymal stem cells which can differentiate into a variety of cell types, Dr. Satish Totey, chief scientific officer, Stempeutics Research Private Limited told Pharmabiz.

Right now the source of Mesenchymal stem cells include eyes, cord blood, bone marrow, Wharton jelly (placenta) which have different markers and separate tissues.

Stempeutics, part of the Manipal Group has initiated the dental pulp research with internal resources. Recently, the Group established the Manipal Institute of Regenerative Medicine which offers a post graduate courses in Regenerative Medicine. The Institute has seven group leaders who are experts specialized in stem cell research and many more research findings are expected to be generated. While Stempeutics will focus on applied research, MIRM will handle the basic research.

The company is also found that stem cells from Wharton jelly can help grow a bone and could be ideal for hip transplant. "We are working out methods to tailor stem cells for different treatments from Parkinson's disease to leg ischemia and myocardial infraction.

Further under the department of Biotechnology stem cell programme has four ongoing projects in the areas of embryonic stem cells derivation, cornea stem cells, immuno-biology of stem cell to assess the benefits of allogeneic transplant including reverse engineering of Mesenchymal stem cells and treatment of breast cancer.