title: Characterization of Fam20C expression in odontogenesis and osteogenesis using transgenic mice.
abstract: Our previous studies have demonstrated that Fam20C promotes differentiation and mineralization of odontoblasts, ameloblasts, osteoblasts and osteocytes during tooth and bone development. Ablation of the Fam20C gene inhibits bone and tooth growth by increasing fibroblast growth factor 23 in serum and causing hypophosphatemia in conditional knockout mice. However, control and regulation of the expression of Fam20C are still unknown. In this study, we generated a transgenic reporter model which expresses green fluorescence protein (GFP) driven by the Fam20C promoter. Recombineering was used to insert a 16 kb fragment of the mouse Fam20C gene (containing the 15 kb promoter and 1.1 kb of exon 1) into a pBluescript SK vector with the topaz variant of GFP and a bovine growth hormone polyadenylation sequence. GFP expression was subsequently evaluated by histomorphometry on cryosections from E14 to adult mice. Fluorescence was evident in the bone and teeth as early as E17.5. The GFP signal was maintained stably in odontoblasts and osteoblasts until 4 weeks after birth. The expression of GFP was significantly reduced in teeth, alveolar bone and muscle by 8 weeks of age. We also observed colocalization of the GFP signal with the Fam20C antibody in postnatal 1- and 7-day-old animals. Successful generation of Fam20C-GFP transgenic mice will provide a unique model for studying Fam20C gene expression and the biological function of this gene during odontogenesis and osteogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Division of Orthodontics, Department of Craniofacial Sciences, School of Dental Medicine, University of Connecticut, Farmington, USA.
authors.forename: Er-Xia
authors.initials: EX
authors.lastname: Du
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Baylor College of Dentistry, Dallas, USA.
authors.forename: Xiao-Fang
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Division of Orthodontics, Department of Craniofacial Sciences, School of Dental Medicine, University of Connecticut, Farmington, USA.
authors.forename: Wu-Chen
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics and Developmental Biology, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, USA.
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kaback
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics and Developmental Biology, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, USA.
authors.forename: Siu-Pok
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Yee
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Baylor College of Dentistry, Dallas, USA.
authors.forename: Chun-Lin
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Biology, University of Illinois, Chicago, USA.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: George
authors.affiliation: Division of Orthodontics, Department of Craniofacial Sciences, School of Dental Medicine, University of Connecticut, Farmington, USA.
authors.forename: Jian-Jun
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Hao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009805:Odontogenesis / Q000235:genetics*; D010012:Osteogenesis / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; C509696:FAM20C protein, mouse; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins