Tooth Grown In Mouse's Kidney

Japanese scientists have concluded an experiment in which a tooth was grown in the kidney of a mouse.  The fact that a tooth was "grown" is not a new one.  The scientists have been developing the teeth in a lab for awhile now.  The new part is growing the tooth inside of the mouse itself.  The new method is also quicker, shaving 10 days off of the previous method's time!  The tooth was grown by combining all of the necessary cells to make a tooth, wrapping the cells in plastic, and placing them in the mouse's kidney.  After the tooth was grown inside the first mouse, it was transplanted to another mouse's gums.  The transplantation seems to be a successful one, and the tooth is functioning in the same manner as a naturally grown tooth.  Scientists believe that this could be the first major step in learning how to replace faulty organs.  The method is not perfected enough to try on humans yet, and I would think that it will be some time before it is.  This is a great step forward, though, and gives hope that perhaps one day, we will be able to live past a decaying lung, kidney, or other vital organ. 

Photo from news.discovery.com