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Updated: Aug 15, 2026

Assessing Signaling Properties of Ectodermal Epithelia During Craniofacial Development
Published on: March 24, 2011
[In vitro study on cranial neural crest differentiating into ectomesenchymal cell of the first branchial arch by
Hong-bing Jiang1, Wei-dong Tian, Wei Tang
1Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, West China School of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
Objective:
To investigate the effects of FGF-8 on cranial neural crest cell (CNCC) differentiating into ectomesenchymal cell of the first branchial arch, and determine the appropriate dose and stage of CNCC exposure to FGF-8.
Methods:
Cranial neural crest explants were cultured in free-serum medium containing modified DMEM/F12 and different doses of FGF-8. The differentiation type of CNCC were determined by in situ hybridization for Hoxa2 and immunocytochemistry for vimentin.
Results:
Pre-emigrating CNCC demonstrated the negative Hoxa2 stain and positive vimentin stain after treated by 100 ug/FGF-8. Both post-emigrating CNCC group and control group were positive for Hoxa2 and vimentin stain.
Conclusions:
On the early stage of CNCC emigration, the first branchial arch phenotype of CNCC could be induced by FGF-8. This experiment could provide in vitro model for study on the mechanism of tooth-jaw regeneration.
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