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Humans Could Soon Regrow Teeth The Way Sharks Do Scientists Say

A new study has found that humans possess the same genes that allow sharks to regrow their teeth, meaning that people could potentially do the same. Sharks and other fish can regrow their teeth repeatedly throughout their lives while humans have, at the moment, the capacity to regrow their teeth only once. Scientists have discovered that the same network of genes that allow sharks to regrow teeth is present in humans and it may be possible to ‘tweak’ those genes to grow new teeth.   RT reports: The intimidating jaws of sharks are filled with razor-sharp teeth that are continuously replaced throughout the course of a lifetime. This is made possible by a special set of epithelial cells known as dental lamina, according to research conducted by scientists at the University of Sheffield in northern England. “We know that sharks are fearsome predators and one of the main reasons they are so successful at hunting prey is because of their rows of backward pointing, razor-sharp teeth that regenerate rapidly throughout their lifetime, and so are replaced before decay,” Dr. Gareth Fraser, from the university’s Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, said in a statement. Through analyzing catshark embryos, the scientists [...]