From Shark Dental Lamina to Human Teeth: Germ Cells as an Alternative to Implant-Based Dentistry “Narrative Review”

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Faculty of Dental and Oral Medicine, Alsalam University, Egypt

Abstract

Tooth loss, a pervasive global health challenge, affects billions, compromising quality of
life and exacerbating socioeconomic disparities.¹
Conventional restorative modalities—dental implants and prostheses—are hindered by prohibitive
costs, limited durability, and imperfect integration
with host tissues, often necessitating invasive procedures.¹,² Drawing inspiration from the polyphyodont dentition of elasmobranchs, which regenerate teeth seamlessly via a stem cell-enriched dental
lamina, this narrative review critically evaluates
the potential of shark-derived molecular mechanisms to recalibrate human regenerative dentistry.³
Synthesizing contemporary scholarship, it elucidates conserved signaling pathways—Wnt/βcatenin, Hedgehog (Shh), and Sox2—that orchestrate shark odontogenesis and their homology with
human dental stem cells, including rested lamina
and dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs).⁴,⁵ Cuttingedge bioengineering strategies, notably biomimetic scaffolds and 3D-printed enamel matrices,
promise de novo tooth regeneration, surpassing
implants by ensuring robust integration with bone
and periodontium while mitigating complications
like peri-implantitis.⁶ However, interspecies disparities, technical complexities, ethical dilemmas,
and regulatory hurdles pose formidable barriers to
clinical translation.⁷,⁸ This review positions shark
germ cell models as a transformative paradigm, advocating for rigorous preclinical studies, interdisciplinary collaboration, and equitable access to address the global burden of oral health disparities.

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