title: Regulation of tooth development by the novel type I TGFbeta family member receptor Alk8.
abstract: We have recently identified, in zebrafish, a novel type I receptor of the TGFbeta family, alk8, that participates in Bmp signaling pathways to mediate early dorsoventral patterning of neurectodermal and mesendodermal tissues. Since Bmps play significant roles in tooth specification, initiation, and differentiation, we hypothesized that alk8 may play a role in directing the Bmp-mediated epithelial mesenchymal cell interactions regulating tooth development. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrates that Alk8 is expressed in developing zebrafish and mouse teeth. Examination of tooth development in zebrafish with disrupted alk8 signaling revealed specific defects in tooth development. Ectopic expression of constitutively active Alk8 results in the formation of elongated tooth structures, while expression of dominant-negative Alk8 results in arrested tooth development at the bud stage. These results are consistent with the established requirements for Bmp signaling in tooth development and demonstrate that Alk8 is a key regulator of tooth development.
authors.affiliation: The Forsyth Institute, Department of Cytokine Biology, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Payne
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Skobe
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Yelick
mesh_terms: D030201:Activin Receptors, Type I / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D019521:Body Patterning; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009805:Odontogenesis / Q000235:genetics*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014083:Tooth Germ / Q000196:embryology*; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000196:embryology; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins
chemical_list: D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins; D030201:Activin Receptors, Type I; C424203:acvr1l protein, zebrafish