Sonic hedgehog expression during early tooth development in Suncus murinus.
Tooth development is a highly organized process characterized by reciprocal interactions between epithelium and mesenchyme. However, the expression patterns and functions of molecules involved in mouse tooth development are unclear from the viewpoint of explaining human dental malformations and anomalies. Here, we show the expression of sonic hedgehog (Shh), a potent initiator of morphogenesis, during the early stages of tooth development in Suncus murinus. Initially, symmetrical, elongated expression of suncus Shh (sShh) was observed in the thin layer of dental epithelial cells along the mesial-distal axis of both jaws. As the dental epithelium continued to develop, sShh was strictly restricted to the predicted leading parts of the growing, invaginating epithelium corresponding to tooth primordia and enamel knots. We propose that some aspects of Shh function in tooth development are widely conserved in mammalian phylogeny.
Miyado
Mami
M
Department of Anatomy, School of Life Dentistry at Tokyo, The Nippon Dental University, 1-9-20 Fujimi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8159, Japan. mami-k.m@tky.ndu.ac.jp
Ogi
Hidenao
H
Yamada
Gen
G
Kitoh
Junzo
J
Jogahara
Takamichi
T
Oda
Sen-Ichi
S
Sato
Iwao
I
Miyado
Kenji
K
Sunohara
Masataka
M
D000818:Animals; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000502:physiology*; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009805:Odontogenesis / Q000235:genetics*; D012788:Shrews; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014070:Tooth / Q000196:embryology* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*
D053823:Hedgehog Proteins