Epithelial cell proliferation and apoptosis in the developing murine palatal rugae

Epithelial cell proliferation and apoptosis during morphogenesis of the murine palatal rugae (PR) were examined histochemically by using anti-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) and the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated UTP nick-end-labelling (TUNEL) technique. Formation of the PR rudiment was observed as an epithelial placode in fetuses at 12.5 days post-coitus (dpc). During the PR formation, BrdU-positive cells were detected mainly in the epithelium of the interplacode and interprotruding areas in fetuses administered BrdU maternally at 2 h before killing. TUNEL-positive cells were detected only at the epithelial placode area in 12.5-14.5 dpc. At 16.5-18.5 dpc, the BrdU-positive cells were decreased in number in the epithelial cells at the interprotruding area of the PR. Only a few TUNEL-positive cells were observed in the protruding area of the PR at 16.5 dpc. These results suggest that cell proliferation and apoptosis in the palatal epithelium are involved spatiotemporally in the murine PR morphogenesis.