title: Immunocytochemical localization of vascular endothelial growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 of the human deciduous molar tooth germ development in the human fetus.
abstract: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a key regulator of blood vessel endothelial development. We used immunohistochemical methods to demonstrate the localization of VEGF and its receptors, showing the specific expression pattern of VEGF and VEGF receptor in the human deciduous tooth from the cap to late bell stages in the human fetus. Immunoreactivity to VEGF and its receptor VEGF receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) was intensely positive in the inner enamel epithelium at the cap stage and ranged from negative to moderately positive in the bell stage. At the late bell stage, VEGF immunoreactivity was mainly positive but weak for VEGFR-2. The intensity of VEGF and VEGFR-2 in odontoblasts increases from cap stage to late bell stage. We postulate that the dissimilar expression of VEGF in inner enamel epithelium, ameloblast and odontoblast during each stage of human tooth development may affect tooth germ formation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, School of Life Dentistry at Tokyo, The Nippon Dental University, 1-9-20 Fujimi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8159, Japan. yokoa1@tky.ndu.ac.jp
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Miwa
authors.forename: Toshiya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fujita
authors.forename: Masataka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sunohara
authors.forename: Iwao
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sato
mesh_terms: D047109:Fetal Development; D005333:Fetus; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008963:Molar / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism; D009804:Odontoblasts / Q000378:metabolism*; D014083:Tooth Germ / Q000378:metabolism*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2