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Localization of Bmp-4, Shh and Wnt-5a transcripts during early mice tooth development by in situ hybridization
Fábio Daumas Nunes1, Maria da Graça Silva Valenzuela, Camila Oliveira Rodini
1Department of Oral Pathology, School of Dentistry, University of São Paulo, Av. Lineu Prestes 2227, Ciudad Universitária, São Paulo, CEP 05508-900 SP, Brazil. fadnunes@usp.br
Abstract:
A comparative nonisotopic in situ hybridization (ISH) analysis was carried out for the detection of Bmp-4, Shh and Wnt-5a transcripts during mice odontogenesis from initiation to cap stage. Bmp-4 was expressed early in the epithelium and then in the underlying mesenchyme. Shh expression was seen in the odontogenic epithelial lining thickening, being stronger in the enamel knot area, during the cap stage. Wnt-5a transcripts were expressed only in the mesenchyme during the initiation, bud and cap stages, with strong expression in the dental mesenchyme during the bud stage. The present results showed that Bmp-4, Shh and Wnt-5a are expressed since the very early stages of tooth development, and they suggest that the Wnt-5a gene is expressed in different cell populations than Bmp-4 and Shh.