title: Beta-Catenin and Plakoglobin Expression during Zebrafish Tooth Development and Replacement.
abstract: We analyzed the protein distribution of two cadherin-associated molecules, plakoglobin and β-catenin, during the different stages of tooth development and tooth replacement in zebrafish. Plakoglobin was detected at the plasma membrane already at the onset of tooth development in the epithelial cells of the tooth. This pattern remained unaltered during further tooth development. The mesenchymal cells only showed plakoglobin from cytodifferentiation onwards. Plakoglobin 1a morpholino-injected embryos showed normal tooth development with proper initiation and differentiation. Although plakoglobin is clearly present during normal odontogenesis, the loss of plakoglobin 1a does not influence tooth development. β-catenin was found at the cell borders of all cells of the successional lamina but also in the nuclei of surrounding mesenchymal cells. Only membranous, not nuclear, β-catenin, was found during morphogenesis stage. However, during cytodifferentiation stage, both nuclear and membrane-bound β-catenin was detected in the layers of the enamel organ as well as in the differentiating odontoblasts. Nuclear β-catenin is an indication of an activated Wnt pathway, therefore suggesting a possible role for Wnt signalling during zebrafish tooth development and replacement.
authors.affiliation: Evolutionary Developmental Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Verstraeten
authors.affiliation: Molecular Cell Biology Unit, Department for Molecular Biomedical Research, VIB Ghent, Ghent, Belgium.|Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jolanda
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: van Hengel
authors.affiliation: Evolutionary Developmental Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Huysseune
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D060172:Morpholinos / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009804:Odontoblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D009805:Odontogenesis / Q000235:genetics; D014070:Tooth / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D060449:Wnt Signaling Pathway; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D051185:gamma Catenin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D060172:Morpholinos; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins; D051176:beta Catenin; C495269:ctnnb1 protein, zebrafish; D051185:gamma Catenin