title: Caspase-7 participates in differentiation of cells forming dental hard tissues.
abstract: Apoptosis during tooth development appears dependent on the apoptotic executioner caspase-3, but not caspase-7. Instead, activated caspase-7 has been found in differentiated odontoblasts and ameloblasts, where it does not correlate with apoptosis. To further investigate these findings, the mouse incisor was used as a model. Analysis of caspase-7-deficient mice revealed a significant thinner layer of hard tissue in the adult incisor. Micro computed tomography scan confirmed this decrease in mineralized tissues. These data strongly suggest that caspase-7 might be directly involved in functional cell differentiation and regulation of the mineralization of dental matrices.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic. matalova@iach.cz
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Matalova
authors.forename: Herve
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lesot
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Svandova
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vanden Berghe
authors.forename: Paul T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Sharpe
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Healy
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vandenabeele
authors.forename: Abigail S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Tucker
mesh_terms: D000565:Ameloblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D053179:Caspase 7 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007180:Incisor / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009804:Odontoblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000378:metabolism; D009805:Odontogenesis; D013997:Time Factors; D055114:X-Ray Microtomography
chemical_list: D053179:Caspase 7