Pufferfish at the ‘Beak’ of Evolution: Why Humans Don’t Continuously Replace Their Teeth
“Prickly pufferfish could hold the key to why humans do not continually replace their teeth and may lead to advances in dental therapies…”
Scientists are studying Pufferfish to learn how their bodies replace their teeth over their lifetimes. They have a sort of beak that contains four teeth, that are continually replaced (like a shark’s teeth) as they are used or broken off. The research is centered on the genetic and stem cell dynamics of this teeth replacement process, in order to develop, in the long run, medical therapies and remedies for human dental care. The research may also improve our understanding of why humans replace their teeth only once during a lifetime.