title: Exploration of the association between apoptosis and cleft palate.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the significance and effect of apoptosis in the development of cleft palate induced by dexamethasone (DEX).
  
  
  METHODS
  Various doses of DEX (10-50 mg/kg) were injected intraperitoneally into Kunming mice on gestation day (GD) 12. The cranio-maxillary sections of samples were labeled by HRP-avidin-biotin-dUTP in situ end-labeling (ISEL) and were observed morphologically and quantitatively under a light microscope and electron microscope.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ISEL positive cells were found in treatment groups. The means of sums and cleft palate incidence have a positive correlation with the doses of DEX (r = 0.9911/0.9978).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A relationship exists between an increased level of apoptosis and the development of cleft palate induced by DEX.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, College of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University of Medical Sciences (SUMS), Guangzhou, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000196:embryology* / Q000473:pathology; D003907:Dexamethasone; D005260:Female; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D051379:Mice
chemical_list: D003907:Dexamethasone