title: Immunolocalization of hepatocyte growth factor receptor, c-Met, in human fetal tooth germ.
abstract: To evaluate c-Met expression in human tooth germ development. An immunohistochemical study on c-Met expression in tooth germs of 8 human fetus between the 7th and 9th week. In the Bud stage C-Met immunopositivity was, moderately to strongly, detected both in the inner and the outer epithelium of the enamel organ. In particular, moderate staining was detected in a specific portion of tooth germs that corresponds to apical portion of the enamel organ. In the bell stage tooth germs were characterized by much stronger c-Met immunopositivity in cytoplasm, inner enamel epithelium, bilateral cusps and above all in the plasma apical membrane on the mesenchymal side. In conclusion because enamel organ cells can interact with mesenchymal cells directly, and c-Met is expressed in the stages at which mesenchymal induction is guided by the dental epithelium, it is conceivable that c-Met is related to tooth germ morphogenesis and cell differentiation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Diagnostic Pathology, Forensic Medicine, Hygiene and Public Health, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 87, 95123 Catania, Italy. carla.loreto@unict.it
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Loreto
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Musumeci
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Caltabiano
authors.forename: Candida
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Caltabiano
authors.forename: Rosalia
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Leonardi
mesh_terms: D000566:Amelogenesis / Q000502:physiology; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000502:physiology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004627:Embryonic Induction / Q000502:physiology; D004658:Enamel Organ / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism*; D009024:Morphogenesis / Q000502:physiology; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D014083:Tooth Germ / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met