BDC #8 - SHED: Stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth

I've just finished having a regular lab meeting. And as usual, I don't get that much information due to language barrier... Yup, I am still having problem with my Japanese. But fortunately, I am not alone. There is a Brazilian guy came at the same time as me, who also doesn't understand a single thing in the meeting. Thus, he brought a paper to read during the meeting (well, don't follow this fellas...not a good example though....)

Anyway, his paper was about SHED.. WAIT!!! What is that??!! I also have no idea at all. Thus, I checked on the internet and found a very interesting definition. AND... I dedicate this topic to my very best friend who is struggling with her master thesis.

It turns out that SHED is an abbreviation of Stem Cells from Human Exfoliated Deciduous Teeth. I am completely dumbfounded with the term deciduous...what is that???

Terminologically, deciduous means "falling off out of maturity" or "tends to fall out". Thus, deciduous teeth is actually milk teeth, baby teeth, temporary teeth, primary teeth...well, you can say it anything. It's the teeth we had once we were little and fell out when we started turning 6 or 7 years old.
Exfoliated means..well, obviously peeled.. we do remember all of those exfoliation mask etc, right? But in this term, it means those milk tooth which are already fallen off (naturally). 

Now, these SHED are obtained from the inner part of the teeth, which is pulp region. then, how does it different with Dental Pulp Stem Cells (DPSCs)? Well, I am not very sure either, but it looks like the difference is only the fact that DPSCs are obtained from Adult Teeth. Yes... I am not joking. You can't confirm from several papers like this one or this one.

Well, it's just a quick preview to satisfy my curiosity. Happy reading fellas!!!