HUMAN EMBRYO RESEARCH - FROM NECESSITY TO ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS: THE STUDY OF DEVELOPING TOOTH GERM

The review of the literature reveals the absence of papers preferentially oriented towards the bioethical issues corresponding to the research on the developing tooth germ, from the study on embryos and embryonic stem cells to the modern field of the artificial tissue engineering. The professional experience of the authors in the dental medicine research is based on the use of human embryonic material available through spontaneous or therapeutic abortions, in the context of the acknowledgement of the research ethical principles (presence of the informed consent which certifies that the donation of the embryos was a voluntary agreement of the competent woman on the use of the product of the abortion for research purposes) and without interference with the moral and religious principles of the donors. The bioethical principles that govern the research on the tooth development fall within the general framework of the research on human embryonic material. In this context, we performed a synopsis of the fundamental bioethical guidelines - which operate implicitly in the research focused on the development of the stomatognathic system in general and of the tooth in particular. Starting from the necessity of embryologic studies, our paper is oriented to (i) the conceptual framework of the definition of the embryo, (ii) the possibilities to obtain the embryonic material, (iii) the translation of the scientific interest from embryo to embryonic stern cells, and (iv) international legislation implemented for the research on embryos and embryonic stem cells. The experience of the research groups involved in the investigation of the complex mechanism of the tooth development must be valued also from the perspective of the bioethical aspects which control this field of biomedical research.