title: Criteria for distinction of different epithelial phenotypes covering murine palatal shelves at the stage of fusion.
abstract: Of the major three positional regions associated with secondary palate morphogenesis, the medial edge epithelium facilitates palate fusion during mouse embryogenesis. The epithelial phenotype appears to be acquired vis-a-vis reciprocal and interdependent epithelial-mesenchymal interactions. The objective of the present study is to describe the histological features of the oral, nasal, and medial edge epithelia as well as adjacent ectomesenchyme in vivo and in vitro, during the 14th day of gestation and through 16 hr incubation. Swiss strain mouse embryos were used to investigate epithelial differentiation in vivo as well as in vitro. Histologic criteria used to distinguish different epithelial phenotypes included: (i) orientation of the nucleus, (ii) staining properties of the nuclei, (iii) pattern of intercellular spaces, and (iv) cell degeneration. These criteria were also effective in identifying different populations of ectomesenchymal cells adjacent to the oral, nasal, and medial edge palatal epithelia.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D004848:Epithelium / Q000196:embryology; D005865:Gestational Age; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000166:cytology; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D010159:Palate / Q000196:embryology*; D010641:Phenotype