Adam D. Celiz, Imperial College London and The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK, Ana Angelova Volponi, King’s College London, and colleagues have developed a biomaterial that mimics the natural tooth-growing environment. They used cell-laden bioorthogonally cross-linked gelatin hydrogels as defined 3D matrixes for tooth developmental engineering. These gelatin-based hydrogels, cross-linked via an inverse-electron demand Diels–Alder reaction between tetrazine and norbornene, allow fine-tuning of physical properties such as stiffness and porosity by modifying the biomaterial design (i.e., concentration and ratio between Tz and Nb), enabling precise control over cellular behavior and morphogenesis in vitro.
For the first time, the team demonstrated that these tailored 3D matrices can support odontogenic interactions between dental epithelial and mesenchymal cells, fostering the formation of early tooth structures, or organoids. This represents a significant step toward creating lab-grown teeth from patient-derived cells.
Unlike conventional fillings and implants, which are artificial and prone to long-term complications, these lab-grown teeth from patient-derived cells could integrate naturally into the jaw and self-repair like real teeth. The new approach promises stronger, longer-lasting, and biologically compatible replacements.
The researchers are now exploring two routes to clinical application: transplanting early-stage tooth cells directly into the jaw or fully growing replacement teeth in the lab for later implantation. Both strategies aim to replicate early developmental stages under lab-controlled conditions.
This work is part of a broader effort in regenerative medicine to repair or replace tissues using biology instead of artificial materials.
- Generating Tooth Organoids Using Defined Bioorthogonally Cross-Linked Hydrogels,
Xuechen Zhang, Nicola Contessi Negrini, Rita Correia, Paul T. Sharpe, Adam D. Celiz, Ana Angelova Volponi,
ACS Macro Lett. 2024, 13(12), 1620–1626.
https://doi.org/10.1021/acsmacrolett.4c00520
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Collection: Chemistry & Teeth
The way our teeth are made, dental care, cavities, fillings and dentures all have something to do with chemistry—a compilation of articles and quizzes on chemistry related to teeth
