title: Differential expression of vascular endothelial growth factor in human fetal skeletal site-specific tissues: Mandible versus femur.
abstract: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a well-known mediator that signals through pathways in angiogenesis and osteogenesis. Angiogenesis and bone formation are coupled during either skeletal development or bone remodeling and repair occurring in postnatal life. In this study, we examined for the first time the expression of VEGF in human fetal mandibular and femoral bone in comparison with the respective adult tissues. Similarly to other craniofacial bones, but at variance with the axial and appendicular skeleton, during development mandible does not arise from mesoderm but neural crest cells of the neuroectoderm germ layer, and undergoes intramembranous instead of endochondral ossification. By quantitative real-time PCR technique, we could show that VEGF gene expression levels were significantly higher in fetal than in adult samples, especially in femoral tissue. Western blotting analysis confirmed higher protein expression of VEGF in the fetal femur respect to the mandible. Moreover, immunohistochemistry revealed that in both fetal tissues VEGF expression was mainly localized in pre- and osteoblasts. Differential expression of VEGF in femoral and mandibular bone tissues could be related to their different structure, function and development during organogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Section of Anatomy and Histology, University of Florence, Largo Brambilla 3, 50134 Florence, Italy. Electronic address: mirca.marini@unifi.it.
authors.forename: Mirca
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marini
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Translational Medicine, University of Florence, Largo Palagi 1, 50139 Florence, Italy. Electronic address: roberto.bertolai@unifi.it.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bertolai
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Section of Anatomy and Histology, University of Florence, Largo Brambilla 3, 50134 Florence, Italy. Electronic address: stefanoambrosini1@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ambrosini
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Section of Anatomy and Histology, University of Florence, Largo Brambilla 3, 50134 Florence, Italy. Electronic address: erica.sarchielli@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Erica
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sarchielli
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Section of Anatomy and Histology, University of Florence, Largo Brambilla 3, 50134 Florence, Italy. Electronic address: vannelli@unifi.it.
authors.forename: Gabriella Barbara
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Vannelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Biosciences and Territory, University of Molise, Contrada Fonte Lappone, Pesche 86090 Isernia, Italy. Electronic address: eleonora.sgambati@unimol.it.
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sgambati
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005269:Femur / Q000378:metabolism*; D005333:Fetus / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006801:Humans; D008334:Mandible / Q000378:metabolism*; D009928:Organ Specificity; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
keywords: Development; Long bone; Mandible; Skeletogenesis; VEGF