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Brief Communication

Nature Methods 4, 227–230 (1 March 2007) | doi:10.1038/nmeth1012

The development of a bioengineered organ germ method

Kazuhisa Nakao , Ritsuko Morita , Yasumitsu Saji , Kentaro Ishida , Yusuke Tomita , Miho Ogawa , Masahiro Saitoh , Yasuhiro Tomooka & Takashi Tsuji

To bioengineer ectodermal organs such as teeth and whisker follicles, we developed a three-dimensional organ-germ culture method. The bioengineered tooth germ generated a structurally correct tooth, after both in vitro organ culture as well as transplantation under a tooth cavity in vivo, showing penetration of blood vessels and nerve fibers.