title: Molecular regulatory mechanism of root development.
abstract: TGF-beta signaling is known to function during tooth formation. The authors' study investigated the role of TGF-beta signaling during tooth root development and determined how the common mediator for TGF-beta signaling, Smad4, affected root formation in mice. Smod4 was specifically inactivated in all epidermal-derived tissues by using a two-component genetic system. The authors' findings show that when Smad4 expression is eliminated in the dental epithelium, there is lack of root formation and severe crown defects.
authors: Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry, University of Southern California, USA. yeehung@usc.edu
authors: Yee
authors: Y
authors: Hung
authors: Xiaofeng
authors: X
authors: Huang
authors: Yang
authors: Y
authors: Chai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004658:Enamel Organ; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D051839:NFI Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009805:Odontogenesis / Q000235:genetics*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D051901:Smad4 Protein / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D014092:Tooth Root / Q000196:embryology* / Q000254:growth & development*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D051839:NFI Transcription Factors; C497648:Nfic protein, mouse; D051901:Smad4 Protein; C490810:Smad4 protein, mouse; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta