Navigation auf uzh.ch
Navigation auf uzh.ch
The loss of a mandible due to cancer still poses a major challenge in our clinic. At present, missing bone is substituted by autologous bone harvested from the patient. To avoid the morbidity, pain and an additional operation site involved by using autologous bone grafts, our research focuses on the development of synthetic osteoconductive bone substitute materials and their combination with osteoinductive substances. Both principles: osteoconduction and osteoinduction are used by nature to facilitate bone turnover and regeneration. Over the last decade, a lot of research was dedicated to the use of osteoinductive proteins, like bone morphogenetic proteins and the application of stem cells. At present, we focus on an almost forgotten principle: osteoconduction and study the influence of the microarchitecture of bone substitutes for bone ingrowth and bone regeneration. To unravel osteoconduction down to the molecular level involves the use of 3D printing of ceramics and will yield in the possibility to provide our patients with personalized bone substitutes, which perfectly fill bone defects.
Weber Franz E., Prof. Dr. rer nat.
Ghayor Chafik, PD Dr.
Indranil Bhattacharya, Dr. sci.
Julien Guerrero, Dr. sci.
Porawit Kamnoedboon, med. dent, PhD-candidate
Ekaterina Maevskaia, PhD-candidate
Ana Perez
Tissue regeneration strategies have gained substantial attention in the dental literature over the recent years. Among the regenerative dental procedures, revascularization of a necrotic pulp space appears to be the treatment option that holds the most promise for the immediate future. The procedure is deemed to be especially helpful in children with teeth with incomplete root formation that lost pulp vitality due to caries or trauma. The goal of this project is to establish a new soft tissue in the pulp space that is capable of continuing hard tissue formation, thus rendering the tooth less prone to fracture and consequent loss. This project is based on our vast experience in hydrogels and growth factor delivery.
Cell-based tooth regeneration is an attractive approach that complements traditional restorative or surgical techniques for replacement of damaged dental tissues or tooth loss. Stem cells are characterized by their potential to self-replicate and their capacity to differentiate into a vast variety of cells populations. Stem cell populations are found in almost all adult human tissues and organs, including teeth. Adult stem cell populations are responsible for dental pulp and periodontium homeostasis and regeneration/repair. Mesenchymal stem cells isolated from deciduous and permanent teeth are tested for their potential applications in regenerative dentistry. Similarly, dental epithelial stem cells are isolated and used for recreating enamel. Induced pluripotent stem (iPS) technology is also applied for the regeneration of dental tissues. Several successful attempts have been made in our laboratories using stem cells from mice and rats for the regeneration of new brand entire teeth. We continue our targeted efforts for the regeneration specific dental tissues or entire teeth by applying novel technologies on stem cell imaging, selection and characterization. Innovative nanostructured materials are also used for stem cell tracking, gene and protein delivery, and formation of artificial stem cell niches in the regenerating teeth.
Thimios Mitsiadis, Prof. DDS, PhD
Cristina Porcheri, Oberassistant, PhD
Balic, Anamaria, Dr., PhD
Ilaria De Santis, Research Assistant
Maria Lydia Ioannides, PhD candidate
Argyro Lamprou, PhD candidate
Laurence Pirenne, PhD candidate
Innervation plays a key role in the development, homeostasis and regeneration of organs and tissues of the orofacial complex. However, the mechanisms underlying these phenomena are not well understood yet. In particular, the role of innervation in tooth development and regeneration is neglected. To analyze the effects of innervation in tooth regeneration and in the fate and behavior of various stem cell populations we use microfluidic devices that allow long-term co-cultures of trigeminal neurons with tooth germs or dental stem cells.
Another important factor for the successful integration of stem cell-containing biomaterials is neovascularization to ensure sufficient oxygen and nutrient transport for the growth and survival of the integrated stem cells. We study neovascularization of the human dental stem cell-seeded 3D silk scaffolds on a chicken embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay. Expression of markers for dental mesenchymal stem cells, endothelial cells and extracellular matrix components are under investigation.
Thimios Mitsiadis, Prof. DDS, PhD
Cristina Porcheri, Oberassistant, PhD
Balic, Anamaria, Dr., PhD
Ilaria De Santis, Research Assistant
Maria Lydia Ioannides, PhD candidate
Argyro Lamprou, PhD candidate
Laurence Pirenne, PhD candidate
