title: Expression of smoothened in mouse embryonic maxillofacial development.
abstract: Hedgehog (Hh) signaling plays many key roles in the development of Drosophila and vertebrate embryos including regulation of craniofacial development. The seven-transmembrane protein, smoothened (Smo) transduces the Hh signal across the plasma membrane as an essential receptor of PTCHED1/2. There are few studies that evaluate the detailed expression of Smo in mouse embryonic craniofacial development. We investigated the expression patterns of Smo during murine embryonic craniofacial development using in situ hybridization (ISH), studies of whole-mounts and sections, immunohistochemistry, quantitative real time PCR, and Western blot analysis. We found that Smo mRNA was expressed in the face of mouse embryos at 11 and 12.5 days post coitum (dpc). After 13.5 dpc, the expression decreased to a low level and was faintly detected after birth. Smo protein could be detected also in embryos at 11, 12.5, and 14.5 dpc. After 15.5 dpc, the expression was very faint and paralleled the gene expression studies. No expression was detected in whisker follicle during facial development and faint signal was detected in Meckel's cartilage. These findings concerning Smo expression should guide further investigation of sonic Hh signaling pathway gene function during maxillofacial development.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Laboratory for Gene Therapy & Tooth Regeneration, Capital Medical University School of Stomatology, Beijing, PR China.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001483:Base Sequence; D015153:Blotting, Western; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D005865:Gestational Age; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008445:Maxillofacial Development / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D011247:Pregnancy; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D000072086:Smoothened Receptor
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; C491022:Smo protein, mouse; D000072086:Smoothened Receptor