title: Making a tooth: growth factors, transcription factors, and stem cells.
abstract: Mammalian tooth development is largely dependent on sequential and reciprocal epithelial-mesenchymal interactions. These processes involve a series of inductive and permissive interactions that result in the determination, differentiation, and organization of odontogenic tissues. Multiple signaling molecules, including BMPs, FGFs, Shh, and Wnt proteins, have been implicated in mediating these tissue interactions. Transcription factors participate in epithelial-mesenchymal interactions via linking the signaling loops between tissue layers by responding to inductive signals and regulating the expression of other signaling molecules. Adult stem cells are highly plastic and multipotent. These cells including dental pulp stem cells and bone marrow stromal cells could be reprogrammed into odontogenic fate and participated in tooth formation. Recent progress in the studies of molecular basis of tooth development, adult stem cell biology, and regeneration will provide fundamental knowledge for the realization of human tooth regeneration in the near future.
authors.affiliation: College of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Yan Ding
authors.initials: YD
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zhi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yi Qiang
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yi Ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D004848:Epithelium / Q000502:physiology; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000378:metabolism*; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000502:physiology; D009805:Odontogenesis / Q000502:physiology*; D012038:Regeneration / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D014070:Tooth / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins; D006133:Growth Substances; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors