Heads and tales: recent advances in craniofacial development.
In the last few years, our understanding of the complex series of events governing craniofacial morphogenesis has significantly increased. A variety of experimental approaches, such as cell lineage marking, monoclonal antibodies, organ culture and recombinant DNA techniques, have been fundamental to this progress. The neural crest contribution to the head and face of the embryo has been mapped, the significance and mechanisms of epithelial-mesenchymal interactions are better understood, and a number of regulatory molecules, which are likely to be causally involved in mediating the morphogenesis of the different craniofacial regions, have been identified. Although the information presently available on the molecules involved is far from complete, and the experimental strategies need further refinement, the existence of specific combinatorial gene-codes (ie the homeobox-containing gene code) has become evident. These findings are proving invaluable to our understanding of the mechanisms underlying craniofacial development, and of certain syndromes affecting craniofacial structures in humans.
Department of Oral Biology, Eastman Dental Hospital, London.
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D000818:Animals; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics; D004848:Epithelium / Q000196:embryology; D005145:Face / Q000196:embryology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005801:Genes, Homeobox / Q000235:genetics; D006257:Head / Q000196:embryology*; D006801:Humans; D008648:Mesoderm; D009024:Morphogenesis / Q000235:genetics; D009432:Neural Crest / Q000196:embryology*; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha
D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha